In Her Uniform
by applesandarrows4life
Summary: What happens when teacher Robin Locksley's innocent distraction turns out to be more than he bargained for? He's been falling for somebody he can't have, and he knows he has to step back... but will he? Student/Teacher OQ au.
1. Sweet Distraction

Hot, wet, passionate kisses press onto her soft, supple lips, hands gripping and smoothing and cherishing sticky, smooth skin - bodies pressed together, entwined, seeking passion - pleasure - _release_.

He has her under him, moaning, writhing, gasping and kissing, eyes closed, nose letting out short, baited breaths, her hands wondering over him, scratching his skin as the intense pleasure builds up and up and up in both of their bodies, their minds dazed, their senses hyper aware of this intense feeling and the sound of the bed squeaking lightly from under them is mixed with moans, skin slapping, and heavy breathing.

And then stars seem to be forming in his vision, he's taken over the edge as he pulls away from the kiss burying his head in her neck, letting the act of him sucking on her pulse point drown out his loud grunt of release. She follows shortly after, because a loud feminine moan is let out into the room, and her nails dig painfully, but gladly welcomed, into the skin of his back. He slows his movements, until he brings them to a halt, pressing a soft kiss to her neck before slowly pulling out of her and rolling to lay by her side. She sighs and turns to face him, smirk present on her lips.

He'd met her at a bar. She'd been drunk with a bunch of friends, he'd been drowning his sorrows and ranting to Killian (the owner of said bar and his close friend), and she'd sent him glances, then he'd bought her a drink, admiring how hot she looked in that little black dress, and then one thing lead to another and suddenly he was kissing every part of her, enjoying every moment of having her body on his, under his, _moaning out his name._

That was three weeks ago.

She'd left her number on his pillow, neat, italicized handwriting scrawled onto what he still assumes is a bubblegum wrapper, a red lip print kissed onto it next to her name, and he'd called her a few days later of course; he just couldn't get this seductress out of his head, this beautiful, mystery of a women, with an equally beautiful name and the ability to make him forget everything else. The divorce, the arguments, the stress of transferring jobs. It all seems to disappear when she's with him.

He still doesn't know much about her. He knows her age, had found out the second time they'd done _this_. Eighteen. And he wasn't impressed, because a nine year age difference made him feel strange - even though it's legal - but he'd soon gotten over it, had been too addicted to let go, had been reassured by her that she was comfortable with him. She wanted this.

He also knows that her mother is a bitter, pretentious, snob, who makes his sweet distraction - his beautiful bed fellow, feel like utter crap, and that her father died two years ago - car accident, and very sudden, and she has a sister, older, who lives in England - had been sent there almost ten years ago for reasons unknown. He knows her mother remarried to another wealthy businessman, who makes her skin crawl and makes him equally tense - and she has an annoying, but sweet, step sister, who is a little over a year younger than her. That's about all he knows. Her first name, her age, and her messed up family life, which is actually what had led her to the bar on that precious night.

Oh, and that she's amazing in bed, she's incredibly intelligent, and she has this awful habit of self loathing.

"You're thinking too loud," she sighs, pulling him from his own mind as she always does, chocolate brown eyes boring into his.

"You're gorgeous, you know that?" He reaches out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She chuckles quietly and it makes his stomach flip.

"So I've been told," she bites her lip, and he keeps his hand resting on her cheek because he likes touching her. Being near her.

"Who's been telling you that?" He teases, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh... just this amazingly hot guy I happen to know..." she replies, and he lightly swats her on the arm. "The only one I have eyes for," she whispers, raising her body so she can climb and straddle his lap. His hands land on her hips instantly, and she leans down for a kiss.

"I hope you're talking about me," he breaths between hot, lazy kisses, "otherwise I'll have to have a word with this 'amazingly hot guy'" he smirks, flipping them so that she's under him once more.

"Down boy," she whispers, "of course it's you."

He presses his lips to hers again, sucking and biting, his hands wondering over her soft skin, the skin he's grown so accustomed to touching and kissing. He doesn't know what this feeling is - the feeling he has when he's with her. It's strong, and passionate, and his heart leaps when she's with him, when she smiles, when her eyes meet his, when her mouth lets out that melodic sound that most call talking.

He wants more than this, though. More than heated nights of passion, and lazy mornings talking. He wants more than seeing her every few days, and more than late night text conversations.

He wants _her._ Wants to be with her all the time, wants to see her face when he wants, wants to kiss her and hug her when he wants. But he doesn't know where she stands. He knows it's risky, due to the age difference, because her parents are difficult, he knows that, and he knows he'll be starting his new job soon, and won't have time for her - the time she deserves. So he'll have to cherish these moments while they last, these kisses, her moans, her scent under his nose, and he'll pray that soon they'll have more.

Although the cherishing doesn't last long, because her ringtone is blaring through the room, and she continues the kiss for a few more seconds but pulls away with a groan a moment later.

"Damnit," she mutters, reaching her arm up from under him, blindly looking for her phone on his bed side table. He reaches over and gets it for her, seeing 'mother' written on the screen, and then hands it to her. "Mother?" She sighs, laying her head back onto the pillow and putting a hand to her forehead as he hovers above her, playing with her hair. "Yes, I know it's after six, mother," she rolls her eyes, "okay, fine. I'll see you in about thirty minutes."

She hangs up the phone and closes her eyes, and Robin presses a quick hiss to her lips. He loves doing that. "What'd the hag say?"

She snorts and opens her eyes, "I have to go."

"For fucks sake," he grips her hips tightly from under him, reluctant for her departure. "Babe, don't leave me."

"Robin," she groans, placing her warm, soft hands over his on her hips and detaching them. "Don't make this harder than it is. I have many preparations for something on Monday, and I'll likely be busy the whole week... but I wanna see you - again. You have my number and you know I'm always on my phone. Call me whenever you want. I'll make time for you, I swear."

Robin let's her scoot from under him and he stands from the bed also, pulling on the dressing gown that he'd thrown on the floor that morning. She's already pulling her blue dress on, covering up her luscious body and then meeting his eyes. She smirks and stands, and then finds her pumps by the bed.

"I'll try to make time for you too... it's just, you know I'm starting work in a few days and I'm gonna be busy also."

She walks up to him, placing two hands to his cheeks and planting a kiss on his lips. "Don't sweat it, babe, we'll find a way," she holds his gaze. "Meanwhile, I've got an impatient mother waiting on me to get home. Leo probably let Mary cook again, and everyone just _has_ to tell Mary how amazing she is," she snorts, pulling away from him.

He nods and finds her hand, walking her down the stairs to the front door. "Text me when you're home, and come over _whenever_ you want," he says, opening the door to his house. He knows she lives around twenty minutes away - had worked it out from the time difference between her texts of 'I'm coming over' and her arrival at his front door.

"I will. And I will," she closes her eyes and purses her lips, her request of a kiss which he gladly grants.

And then she's getting into her car, putting her key into the ignition, and blowing him a kiss before driving off. He's left with that overwhelming feeling of infatuation that sits in his heart every time she leaves.

* * *

"Regina, stand still," her mother mutters from the corner of the dressing room, harsh eyes meeting hers in the mirror. "Johanna needs to size you for your uniform, stop fidgeting."

"Mother, this is ridiculous. We don't need to be measured to adjust our uniforms," she gestures to Mary Margaret, stood beside her on her own measuring platform awaiting her turn. "Can we not just show you that they still fit? I'm pretty sure I know my size."

"Do not be absurd, Regina," her mother spits, fire burning in her gaze. "Spring break is over, and we will not just abandon the tradition of sizing you for your uniform at the start of each term. You're lucky this school gives you three weeks off for spring break, rather than one, or you would've spent that whole week preparing. Mary follows the rules just fine, why do you insist on being such trouble? Misthaven is one of the most prestigious private schools in LA, and I will not have you just throwing away standards. Now stop fidgeting and let Johanna take your measurements," she rants and rants and rants.

Regina sighs, and looks down, wondering why on Earth so many preparations always have to be made before school each term. Equipment shopping, tutors coming in to remind them of last semesters curriculum, health checks, fitness checks, (because God Forbid she takes any absence days) revision timetables made, clothing measurements for uniform adjustments, pre buying all textbooks needed for classes, and of course, already making ideas for her prom dress (which she'll probably have no choice over). She knows that this is an important term, since it's her last four months at Misthaven, but her mother often goes overboard about everything, and Regina can't deal.

She'll be out soon, anyway. That's the only thing keeping her sane - keeping her calm. She'll go to Harvard, move away from this crazy, overly controlled lifestyle, her stupid family and she'll make her own choices, and more importantly, her own mistakes.

"You're the same as you were four months ago, miss," Johanna concludes, and Regina has to resist letting out a smug snicker.

"May I go to my room now, mother?" She asks, pulling her silk robe on to cover her underwear clad form. At her mothers nod, she makes a brisk exit to her room, shuts the door and finds her cell.

Two messages from him.

 _Him_ who she can't seem to get out of her head. _Him_ who consumes her every thought. _Him_ who makes her feel things beyond what she thought was possible. _Him._

 _'Just checking how you are, gorgeous lady ;)'_ and _'what's this thing you've been occupied with preparing for since Friday evening?'_ light up her screen, and her heart sinks.

She still hasn't told him.

She _can't_ tell him. What they have and what they've been doing will end instantly, and she can't handle that. Can't take that.

She hasn't seen him since Friday, and now it's Sunday night, and he's been subtly trying to get information from her for a few days. She knows he's probably just worried, because she knows he's been cheated on before, but if he can't trust her - even though they're not actually together anyway - then that's on him.

She just has four months. One quarter of a year, and then she can stop lying to him. She can hide it from him until then, right? He doesn't _need_ to know that she's a high school student. She's eighteen, and what they're doing is legal, but if he knew she was a high school student he would probably freak out, because twenty eight year old's don't date high schoolers. She thinks he assumes she's turning nineteen soon, rather than just turning eighteen on February first (exactly two months ago), and therefore thinks she left high school last year. She'd always avoided this conversation, though, kept it private.

Kept it from him.

Sure, she feels bad, but he doesn't share much either. She knows he's divorced, his ex wife is a bitch, he speaks to his parents in England rarely, and he's starting a new job. What job exactly, she doesn't know, and where in England he's from, she doesn't either, and to be perfectly honest, she doesn't think he's ever mentioned his ex wife's name. But she knows he's smart - really smart. And he's charming and honorable and _perfect_. And she knows she likes him - a lot, and he likes her and she really, _really_ wants to keep it that way. And so she has no choice but to work her way around his question.

 _'Still gorgeous, I hope... and how are you, handsome?'_

His reply is almost instant, despite the fact that his first texts were sent over thirty minutes ago.

 _'Still handsome - or is that copying your line? And I'm prepping for work tomorrow. I didn't quite catch what has you so busy for tomorrow, though?'_

Regina groans and flops into the chair at her vanity, biting her lip to think up an excuse. _A lie_.

 _'Wouldn't you like to know ;)'_

 _'Maybe I do... unless you've got somebody else keeping you company, and you don't want to tell me?'_

 _'Never,'_ and _'it's not a who, it's a what. I promise xx'_ are her next replies.

He doesn't reply for the rest of the night, and it has her worried. Telling him the truth could ruin what they have, but lying to him might too. How did she get herself into such a mess? Why is what should be a relaxing night before the first day back after spring break, a stressful, restless one in which she cannot sleep?

She'll go see him after school tomorrow, she decides, laying in bed. She'll come home, get changed, and then go see him, have a few hours with him, talk to him like she always does. Only she won't tell him. She won't need to.

* * *

It's morning.

When was the last time he'd been up at such an hour?

The hour that _claims_ to be morning, yet is dark, dreary, and extremely quiet.

It's 6:45am.

6:45am and he needs to be at work for 8am to have a tour, get a timetable, a map of the grounds, have a word with his boss and of course, to prepare. That's one hour and fifteen minutes to shower, change, eat, get mentally prepared and then get into his car and drive. Well, if he's being technical, he has forty five minutes to do all of that, because he should be in his car with thirty minutes to spare, since it's a twenty minute drive, and he can't chance traffic or closed roads. Not on his first day.

He grunts, groans, stretches, peels his duvet from over his body and shifts one, two legs off of the bed and onto the plush, cream rug sprawled on his floor. He wipes sleep from his eyes, and stands to make his way to his en suit.

As usual, the water takes just under three minutes to warm, and then an extra two to stay at a level temperature that won't scald or freeze his skin. He stands under the spray, cleaning and wiping and leaning on the tiles - running hands through his hair in sudden thought. He feels bad for ignoring her yesterday. Regina, that is. He feels bad for being worried about what she seems to be keeping from him. She has no loyalty to him. They're not dating, they're not exclusive, and they certainly don't tell one another everything - but he's on edge. What isn't she telling him?

By the time he's dressed, sat at his table munching 'Lucky Charms' and scrolling through his phone, she sends him another text. Two, actually.

 _'Are you mad at me? I'm sorry x'_ and _'If it's okay, I'm gonna come see you later?'_

He feels even worse, now. Of course it's okay that she comes over, she knows it is, but he's made her feel as if she has to ask him. He has made her sorry.

 _'Baby, all is fine... I'm leaving for work in a moment - seeing your pretty face later would be nice, though xx'_

Her reply comes through has he opens his front door; _'Good, because I've missed your pretty face, too ;).'_ His morning feels lighter, he'll see her later and though he's promised himself he'll drop whatever it is he's worrying about, he hopes he can get some answers.

He drives to his new work place, makes it with eight minutes to spare, climbs out of his car, clutching his briefcase in nervous hands before looking around him. The building is just beautiful, he notes. It's old, but it's classy, and elegant, and charming. The large exterior made of brick, covered in plants and vines, with paths and gardens, grand doors and windows gracing its beauty in modesty reminds him somewhat of something that'd be in a fairy tale. With a name like 'Misthaven Forest Private School' he should've expected something like this.

"Mr Locksley?" A man with a cane, who he recognizes instantly as head master Gold, calls from the main, oak wood doors to the school.

Robin walks towards him, pressing down the lock button on his car remote as he does, and plasters a pleasant smile on his face. "Mr Gold, nice to see you again," he says when he's closer, holding his hand out for the older man to shake. He takes it, now putting a smile onto his own face.

"Do come in, Mr Locksley, it's a pleasure to have you here. Since our interview I have been looking forward to having somebody of your qualification and intellect teaching at my school."

Robin is led through to a large foyer where two grand staircases face the front doors, the smell of oak, musk and detergent linger in the air. Gold leads him past the foyer, down a grand corridor and then around a corner, where Robin see's double wooden doors with golden handles, _Head Master R. Gold_ printed in gold on the front. He invites Robin in, offers him a seat, and then sits in his own.

"Now, here is a map of the grounds, you'll mark down convenient places when Katherine gives you a tour, here is your timetable, and I've made sure that your first lesson is with the first years, so they're all easy to deal with - especially since you're joining toward the end of the academic year, and students aren't always so welcoming to newcomers. I have some things for you to sign, but if I recall, I emailed the majority of the risk assessments to you, and you've read through the contract," Gold says confidentially, handing Robin each sheet that he needs, "this is your car park pass, and parking space number... and as you see, your classroom is M23, that's middle floor because it's the English and foreign language floor."

Robin takes each sheet, glancing over at them, running his hand over the image of the massive grounds of the school. Then he's given a pen, signs a contract, and soon, a leggy blonde is walking into the room, introduced as Katherine - Gold's assistant, and she's asking if he's ready for he tour.

"Yes, thank you Katherine," Gold smiles.

She nods, and he says goodbye to Mr Gold - shaking his hand on his departure, and then he's following Katherine down the corridor.

The tour is thirty minutes. He sees the classrooms, the gymnasium, the exam room, the teachers lounge, the gardens, the stables, the cafeteria, the library (bigger than his last schools for sure), the car park and even the medical room.

"It's protocol, ensures you know where a kid is going if they're ill, or where to get the medical staff from," she says, stopping outside the door, "there are two sets of toilets on each floor. Children are allowed to go to the bathroom at any point if requested - but only once in a lesson. In the case of a fire drill or a real fire, you'll get your class to stand calmly, follow you out of the room in single file, and you'll lead them to the West field, by the stables," she smiles, "oh - and lunch is at twelve, every day."

Robin smiles warmly back, and he can't help but admire how pretty this blonde is. If the rest of the staff look anything like her, maybe this year won't be so bad. "Thank you, Kathrine - can I call you that?" She nods.

The bell goes then, and she's telling him it's the 8:50am bell, and then she's rushing back to her office, calling behind her that the students will be arriving now, so that they get to class for 9.

He calls back a thanks once more, and then he's heading up to the middle floor where he's already been shown his classroom.

Students are everywhere, already. Lockers being opened, kisses and hugs and _"I've missed you!"_ 's being thrown around, and he likes this part. The part where he gets to see them, happy to be here, excited to learn (some more than others), and talking to their friends, catching up on everyone's spring break. It reminds him of being in school (though London school is quite different), and he's taken back to him and Will messing around, bunking off, avoiding homework.

He strolls past them, admiring the uniform. It's neat, and quite smart and he's thrown back to England yet again, remembering how they have uniforms, and the last American school that he worked at didn't. It's a blue, pleated, tartan skirt for the girls, with a plain black jumper over white or faded blue shirts, and a black cross tie. Some of them are even wearing blazers. The boys are pretty much the same, but with either grey or black trousers, and their ties are suit ties of the same black.

He's about to turn the corner, labelled _'M20 - M30'_ and ah, he's almost there. His first class, his first new set of keen ears and wide eyes. His first-

Wait.

He stops before the corner, heart going from light pumping to heaving banging against his chest, his temperature suddenly raising above 100 degrees despite the chill in the air, and his palms are sweating, body shaking - quivering, mind buzzing.

He's sure - he's so so so so sure that he just walked past her. He's 100% - he's positive, he's... he's hoping, _praying_ that he's wrong, that he miss-saw, that his mind is playing tricks because he misses her.

He's thinks she was talking to a girl, with blonde hair, stood by a locker, smirking, lips blood red, long black tresses falling past her shoulders - and he's sure that it was her, but he's too scared to turn around and look. He's been stood there for almost 10 seconds and he's scared to check if he's just wasted his time panicking, or if he needs to take therapy for the rest of his life.

"Yes, Emma," he hears her sigh, she's almost twelve feet behind him, and yep, that's definitely her. And oh god, _oh god_ , he's screwed.

He turns then, swivels around and sees her twiddling her hair, giggling with her friend, carrying what looks like a Chanel 2.55 bag, smile on her plump lips, the same lips he'd kissed and cherished and had so many happy nights looking at.

She's stood there, smile now wiped off of her pretty face, dark eyes staring back at him, _in her uniform_.


	2. Greetings Professor

_**AN: Hi everyone. Just a quick message to thank everybody who has reviewed, followed and favorited my story! I really appreciate it, as this is the first story that I've actually posted before (actually, back when I was 14 I wrote a Justin Bieber fanfic haha). I have a few chapters of this story written, so updates may be frequent depending on when I have time to edit/proofread etc, but anyway, thank you all for reading! I really hope you enjoy the next chapter - and just a note to say that because it's supposed to be realistic and I don't want to rush it, there may not be TOO much R &R interaction for a bit (there will be some though). All mistakes are mine.**_

 _ **Disclaimer - I do not own OUAT or it's characters.**_

* * *

In her uniform.

That's right.

In that tartan skirt, that black cross tie, feet clad in black shoes, dark hair curled and hanging past her shoulders, mouth gaping, eyes unblinking, her blonde friend stood beside her frowning and _oh_.

This isn't happening. This is not happening to him, because he has not only been falling for a _liar_ , but he has apparently fucked, screwed, rendezvoused with, or whichever term one would like to use, with a _high school student_ at his new _school_.

It's wrong. On so many levels it's wrong, and he's angry. He's angry at her, angry at himself, angry at fate for making all of this happen, but he's mostly mad at her - and _this_ is _not_ happening.

She didn't tell him, she'd missed out the part where she was supposed to say; _"by the way, I'm still in high school"_ and _OH!_ What if she's been lying about her age too? What if she's not eighteen, but seventeen, sixteen, or worse? What is he supposed to do now? The bell for 9am class is ringing now, and people are bustling into classrooms, including the one that he knows is his, around the corner behind him, but he can't seem to move, and neither can she.

"Mills, class please," a short woman with curly brown hair comes and touches her shoulder, breaking Regina from her trance and scooting her off in the direction he'd just come from. Legs moving in her short skirt, hair bouncing and shining as she walks.

He moves then. He closes his gaping mouth, turns to the direction of his new classroom, palms still sweating, heart still _thump thump_ thumping in his chest, and he's shaking a little, his body feels like it's just been drained.

Is her name even Regina? She wouldn't lie to him about that, would she? She might have though, if she didn't want him knowing her age, or the fact she's a high school student fucking a twenty eight year old _teacher_.

He's at his classroom door now, and it's quiet, he'd expected as much since Mr Gold had told him that they were first years, and so most of them are probably still scared of all the teachers. He wishes he had a class who would be more occupied with one another, than with what he was saying, or doing, or thinking.

He walks in, though, and the little boys and girls look up at him expectantly, and their somewhat nervous expressions calm him. He just has to look like he's in control of himself right now, and they'll swallow it up.

"G- good morning, uhm, class, I uh, am Mr Locksley," he smiles, walking over to his desk and placing his briefcase on it. He picks up the chalk he see's by the blackboard, and uses it to scrawl his name onto it as the low murmur of _"Morning, sir"_ dies down. He's doing good, he hopes. He almost forgets to write the 's' in his name, and his writing is a little poor at the moment, but he thinks he's doing okay.

"Now I'm," he swallows quickly, closing his eyes, "I'm sure you're all very-" inhale deeply, exhale, "very exited to have your first lesson back as English Literature, today... and... and I think I've been told that your parents were told last term that you needed to bring your own copy of..." he opens his brief, rustling through papers, just to make sure which book this first year class is supposed to be studying, "Wuthering Heights?"

They all nod, and wow, they're young, he thinks. How old was he when he read this book?

"Okay, let's start with a discussion of what we expect from the book," he says, hands shaking as he opens his desk drawer, finding a teacher copy there.

* * *

Oh shit.

She's screwed.

She's screwed, she has messed up, oh shit, oh no.

He's seen her, now. He knows she's a student and he's a _teacher_. That's breaking every rule, tainting every single beautiful memory they've had together with this big splodge of _'wrong'_ and she can't believe this has happened.

She was by her locker with Emma, giving her all the gory details about what she'd been up to with _him_ since she'd left Emma at the bar with Tink almost four weeks ago, and then some hottie in a suit, ( _"the new teacher,"_ Emma had whispered) walked by, and she didn't catch his face... and then he'd stopped, and she'd turned to Emma, muttering _"weird"_ before he turned and wiped that snickering grin right off her face.

He was shocked, she was shocked, and then Ms. French, the French teacher (she'd laugh about that any other day) was dragging her and Emma to their French lesson, where she is currently sat, ignoring the teacher, glaring at the desk.

Why didn't he just tell her? Why didn't he just tell her what he works as, and she would've put two and two together, realized things were more complicated than she first thought, and then she would've ended things... or not. She probably wouldn't have, and she still doesn't want to, but she probably has to because it's totally against every rule.

Her phone pings, just then. A light sound that earns her a glare from Ms French and puts Regina on the edge of her seat.

 _'Please tell me I did not just see you, stood in a uniform at the school that I now work at!?'_

Oh no. It's already started. He's mad... very mad it seems, and she wishes that she'd told him sooner. He's probably going to end things anyway, and if she'd told him sooner he would've ended it sooner, without the anger and the inevitable loathing that he'll soon enough feel toward her.

She types fast, quivering hands under the table, eyes glancing down every few seconds. The teacher isn't even looking her way so she's safe, but God forbid she catches her, takes her phone and then sees the messages on the screen.

 _'I'm sorry. Talk after class x'_ she writes, and then she erases it, because no, she's not going to apologize (even though she should) because maybe he should've just worked it out himself, and then they wouldn't be in this mess. He's smart, and he's a teacher, he knows her age, he should know this - because he certainly couldn't have expect her to be the one to work out that he's a _teacher_ of all things. _'Talk after class,'_ she re types, and she doesn't look at her phone for the rest of the lesson.

By the time break comes around at 10am, she's already rushing out ahead of Emma, and going in the opposite direction of the stairs. She's headed to the M20-30 corridor, where Robin had been headed earlier, wondering how exactly she's going to find his room. He could be on the M20-30 corridor, or he could have just been on his way past it, to the M30-40, or to the stairs on that same corridor...

But he's most likely to be here, because this is the English Lit corridor, the 30-40 is English language, and though he's well spoken, she knows he has a thing for books.

With each step she takes down what used to be a familiar, safe hallway, filled with lockers and classrooms, it grows increasingly more intimidating, and her legs begin to betray her, slowing down ever so slightly. As she wanders past M23 she spots him, elbows on his desk, head in his hands, eyes closed. He looks professional, she thinks. It's strange for her, because in the brief time that they've been 'together' he's always been so down to Earth. Now though, sat there in his dapper suit, his beard trimmed, his hair styled in a way that makes him seem taller (despite the fact that he's sitting) she realizes that she doesn't know much about this side of him. Her breath catches in her throat, because it's just as she feared.

He's definitely mad.

She doesn't bother knocking - he knows she's coming, and when she walks in with shaky legs and a thumping heart, she makes sure to close the blinds and lock the door. He doesn't even move, not yet, just sits in the same position until she walks to stand in front of the closest desk to him. She can feel the tension in the air - could cut with with a knife, and her throat feels somewhat like it's getting tighter. She goes to stay something, but stops. She doesn't trust her voice not to betray her.

He looks up, then, ocean blue eyes squinted, lips pursed, arms beginning to fold, and he's looking at her. Intensely. She doesn't think his eyes have ever been this dark, and it's slightly uncomfortable - has her squirming, so she opts to maybe try the speaking thing again.

"Rob-"

"No," he grits his teeth, sending daggers her way, and suddenly she's even more scared. He's never been mad at her. "Don't say anything until I _ask_ you to speak! Isn't that how this whole teacher/student thing works? Or did you forget that when you _forgot_ to mention that you are in _High School,_ Regina!?" He's almost shouting, it's more of a loud growl, and he spits the words as if they've been dipped in poison. She swallows, and places her hands behind her so she can lean on the polished wood desk that she's been stood in front of for support. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? Any idea how much trouble we - no no no - _I_ will get into for this?"

"I won't tell an-"

"That's not the point, Regina!" He cries, standing now, arms in the air - and yes, he definitely seems taller. "The point is," his voice is lower now, a hushed tone that she can still clearly hear, "that I've been sleeping with a student. If I don't report this and it gets out, I'm done. It's unprofessional, it's wrong, and it is most certainly my responsibility to mention this," he seethes, cheeks turning pink, a section of sandy blond hair falling to his forehead. His face is creased with worry lines, and all she wants to do is touch him calm his down. She doesn't know why she even cares or why she's gotten so attached, and she certainly doesn't know why she's scared that he'll tell their secret and ruin his life, yet she is.

But he can't do that. It won't only ruin him - but it'll ruin her, and now she's angry and defensive, and so she shakes her head and steps forward, reaching out to him, but he pulls back. She aches. "So what!? You're going to tell H.M Gold - on your first day, may I remind you - that you've been sleeping with me for almost four weeks? My mother is on the board, Robin! Even if Gold let's this go with a warning because you didn't know I was a student, my mother won't! She won't accept the fact that I've slept with you - or anyone, for that matter!" She has to talk some sense into him.

"It's not like you hadn't had sex before I met you!" he says, because he hadn't been her first -she'd been in a committed relationship before. "If I keep this to myself and this gets out, that's my job, and any future job, gone for me," he's calmer now, more reflecting than anything else, "I just wish you told me..."

She looks down, now. She feels awful, even though she had no clue that he was a teacher, or that he was starting here. "Robin, the only way that this gets out, is if you or I tell somebody, and I swear I won't be the one to do it." He frowns then, and gazes at his desk distantly. She can see it now, the cogs turning in his head, the nervous biting of his lip. The contemplating, the calculating, the concentration, all written across his face. He's considering, at least. Considering doing what's best and keeping what they've done a quiet.

He places both hands on his oak desk and leans forward, just then. His black, three piece suit clad form is facing her, his blue eyes swimming with anger, fear, seriousness. "Regina, I trust you... I trust you'll keep this quiet and I trust that you don't want to ruin my life, and so I'll keep this to myself if you do too," he's whispering now, not letting go of her gaze, and she's glad that he's come to this conclusion. "But I hope you understand that you and me have to end. However hard it is, we can't see each other anymore, because that really is taking it too far."

Her heart sinks. She knew this would be the outcome, but she's still disappointed that it's set in stone now. She can't see him anymore, or text him, or enjoy him. Things have changed, and it makes her sad to think that they've had to end like this.

The silence in the room is deafening, she can't stand it anymore. She just wants to be near him, and so she makes a bold move and walks up to his desk, and it's risky, she knows, but she walks a step or two and stops in front of where he's still leaning. The scent of him and his cologne, with which she has grown rather accustomed, grows increasingly stronger. He must know what she's about to do, because he beats her to it and leans forward, pressing soft lip to soft lip, smooth nose to warm cheek, broken heart to broken heart. After a longing moment, he pulls away only to press his forehead to hers and it's only now that she realizes.

This feeling that she gets with him... this heart fluttering, mind boggling, life altering feeling that she gets when he touches her, looks at her the way he does... it's... she's...

"I-" she begins to vocalize her revelation, but he interrupts her.

"I know," he says, and then he's pulling away and she can't look at him anymore. She needs to get out, and so suddenly she's getting her bag and leaving his classroom to an empty corridor.

She snickers at the metaphorical irony of the 'empty corridor,' but it soon turns into a stinging in her eyes, the lump in her throat growing tenfold - and now the desire to just _cry_ is unbearable.

So she does just that, right there, in the empty corridor.

* * *

"So, class, who can tell me what a main theme in 'Pride and Prejudice' is?" He asks in third period, the one right before lunch. His system login is up and running, he'd been told at the start of this lesson, and he's almost grasped the timetable. An hour lesson in the morning - then break, two more one hour lessons before lunch and then two lessons after lunch. He has eleventh graders now, and they're rather well behaved. It helps to keep him occupied, talking about his passion.

Keeps his mind from her.

A girl sat up front with long, dark hair, a slim, sweet face and an annoyingly good posture raises her hand, face eager to answer. He points to her and she smiles - looks relieved, even though she was the only one with her hand raised.

"One of the main themes is love; in fact it contains one of the greatest love stories in English literature," she smiles, and her voice is annoying too, but at least she answered.

"Well done, that's right. I didn't catch your name?" Robin frowns, because he's good with names so once she tells him, he'll remember it as 'eager beaver in the front row.'

"Mary Margaret, but most just call me Mary," she says, and the class murmur and sigh, shifting in their seats. Her name is familiar, but he can't pinpoint where he's heard it before, and frankly he doesn't care all too much.

He just has one name on his mind right now-

 _Stop_.

"Thanks for your answer, Mary. Now... any other themes?" He clears his throat, shoving his imposing thoughts to the side.

He keeps it up until lunch time, has a steady roll going in the class, where the dark haired girls friend, the one with the red hair who has some sort of exotic name beginning with an 'A' begins to answer questions too, and then David (David who introduced himself politely before the class had started) began to contribute also.

Now they're all dismissed, and he regrets his decision not to pick up lunch on the way in because he's hungry and he has to go and buy some from the canteen, but he's scared of seeing _her_. It'll be awkward, she'll be with her fellow eighteen year old friends, he'll be a teacher - pretending not to know her. Pretending he hasn't done many, _many_ , things with her.

He sighs deeply, closes his eyes and pats his back pocket, making sure he's got his wallet. He can do this, and if he sees her, he just has to say and do nothing. He might run into Katherine, and they can have a chat - only because she's the only one on the staff team he's been introduced to so far. He opens his eyes and decides that he can't just stand there like an idiot all day, and once he's taking one step, he's taking multiple ones until he's out in the corridor, deciding if it's the stairs on the corridor to his left that lead to the canteen, or the right. He goes left, back the way that he came this morning, and finds himself in the foyer, and ah, he knows his way from here.

"Need any help?" A voice asks from behind him, and it's not familiar so he puts a smile on his face and turns around. A man, maybe his age - maybe older, with long curly hair and quite a large build stands there, smiling. He looks rather scruffy in his brown outfit and green waistcoat. His beard is due a shave, and his hair could probably use a cut, but his eyes are kind. "I'm John, science... couldn't help but notice that you're new."

Robin holds out his hand to shake, but John ignores it and pats his back in a more friendly way. "Yeah, I'm Robin, English," he says nervously, and why is he nervous? He's never been the nervous type.

"Ah! English. Lit or Lang?"

"I... what?" Robin asks, somewhat confused for a moment. John starts to walk in the direction of the canteen, and Robin follows behind him.

"Well, the English language corridor is by the stairs, and it's boring. You got people like Archie Hopper and August, on that corridor. Not saying _August_ is boring, but he's edgy, you gotta get used to his bluntness. If you're on the literature corridor, you're next to the foreign language one - where you can grab yourself eye candy, like Belle French, she teaches French - funny, I know - and you got Aurora - dumb name, I know - teaching German. It may seem irrelevant, but which subject you're teaching, Lit or Lang, decides your fate at this school," John rants, and Robin thinks he understands, but he can't help but feel that it's all a bit dramatic.

"Well you'll be happy to hear I'm in literature," he replies awkwardly, just as they reach the canteen. It's a beautifully large room, with refined and elegant structure. The floor to ceiling French windows open it up and brighten the area, highlighting the oak wood tables and the high patterned ceilings. It looks exactly like it was built in the eighteen hundreds, which it was, and it has a regal and old feel to it. Something you'd expect in a place such as this. Students are bustling around, getting seats, holding conversations, queuing at the delicious looking lunch counter. It's everything he'd been expecting, but neater. The kids here obviously follow strict rules; the lunch line is tidy, people are patiently waiting, teachers are being greeted, everybody is sitting, eating with the correct cutlery in the correct hand.

"Well done buddy," John interrupts his thoughts, and he snaps his head to look at the man. "Heads up though, Belle is off limits. I know, totally weird, but Gold actually has a thing for her... or with her, whatever you wanna call it. I know what you're thinking," John says, picking up a tray and leading him to the lunch line, "he's ancient, she's like twenty five... it's all very scandalous. But see, she used to work as a history teacher, close with Ms Lucas, another history teacher, and she confided in her one time. Then Ms Lucas accidentally let it slip to Marco, the graphics teacher, and he told his son, August, and August told Aurora - they have a thing too - and then she told me, and now everyone knows," John is rambling again, and Robin is slightly irritated by his talkative nature, yet grateful for this distraction, something to occupy himself with.

"I'm not really... looking for anything anyway, so Gold can have Belle..." Robin smiles, stood in front of pastries, sandwiches, pies and desserts. He assumes that this isn't the cooked food line, and good, because he doesn't feel like Spaghetti Bolognese today. He opts for a salad sandwich that he'll save for later, a bottle of water, and a slice of blueberry pie.

"Good, because I almost made _that_ mistake when she joined a few years back as a TA," John chuckles, opting for a meat pie and sponge cake. "Oh, watch out, Lily's about," he whispers as an angry looking student walks by, somewhat aggressively. "Her mom is Mallory, she teaches science on my floor, and they are both just as hot headed as one another, except Lily is worse because she's young, and gets away with crap because her mommy is _also_ one of Golds deputy's."

Robin looks from John, to the young girl departing from the room, and then back again. Maybe Johns talkative nature isn't so bad after all, and he can learn the ins and outs that aren't formal protocol, or in the manual.

"Wanna know who else to look out for?" John asks, and Robin nods slowly, just as the woman at the till tells him _'that's eight dollars, please'_ and he hands her the money. "So first, there are the annoying ones. You're talking Mary, David, Anna, Blue- yes! A student who actually insists on being called Blue. Then two years below you've got Grace, and then her older brother Jefferson in twelfth grade. They're both quite a pair, you mess with one and you mess with both," he gives Robin a look, and they go to a vacant table by a window. "Then, you've got the ones with the attitude. Here I'm talking Lily in twelfth grade, and the people she's having turf wars with, like Emma Swan. She's got an attitude and a half, she's argumentative, she's harsh, and like I say, 'the worst things come in threes,' her best friend is the worst of the worst. She's real rich, but she's not snobby, but mommy's on the board, and she gets away with murder. She's super smart, but with an attitude, this flare, and it's intense. She isn't argumentative, more calculating. If you piss her off, you will know, and she won't need to tell you, you'll just know. Her name is Regina Mills, so steer clear."

Robin freezes. Has been frozen since he'd said that her mother's on the board, because he'd worked out who it was back then. And now it's more real. She's a student, teachers talk about her, teachers know her, she's a damn student and John has no idea that Robin's been screwing the student he just described.

"I uh..." Robin clears his throat, and decides maybe he wants some pie now, at least that'll keep his mouth busy. "I'll watch out for those," he shoves the pie in, and eyes John.

John snickers and then points to the left, where two tables are sat opposite each other. "You know how I just mentioned a turf war? Right there. Lily, Mulan and Ruby are giving eyes to Regina, Emma and Tink. Soon, Daniel will join Emma's table, along with Graham, possibly, and Lily and Ruby will get this look, and act like they aren't phased. Then Jefferson will come and sit next to Lily, and she'll act like she likes him- see! See!" He points to where two boys clad in the Misthaven uniform are approaching a round table by the wall, where Regina is indeed sat. Just next to that table is another round one, where three girls are sat, glaring at the others. Robin frowns at the immaturity of it all.

The immaturity of John, knowing all of this and being entertained by it, and the immaturity of Regina, her friends and her obvious enemy's. But he needs to remember that this is high school, and that's the type of petty thing that they get up to. John on the other hand...

"Why do you pay attention to this stuff?" Robin asks, still looking at Regina. She looks beautiful, and he forgot to analyse that earlier. The uniform suits her, and that would be pervy if he hadn't already slept with her, and if she wasn't already eighteen. She's smiling, but he can tell she's not actually _smiling_. It's a front, and she's probably upset about earlier, but that's her fault for lying to him.

"I don't 'pay attention' Robin, it's hard to miss when you've been in this canteen multiple times when a fight has almost broken out between those two tables, and I've sat through enough annoying lessons with people like Anna and Mary to know that they're probably gonna be giving me the majority of the answers," he explains. "All the teachers know this, and it's a good thing too because at least we know not to sit any of _those_ guys together - _ever_! And at least we know that David and all that should be partnered with people that can benefit from their... personalities."

Robin nods, but he still doesn't see the fuss. He's just glad that he at least has a 'friend' here now, and he knows not to sit Regina with those three other girls - or those two boys beside her for that matter.

Just because.

"So... I've been talking an awful lot. Where about are you from? You don't sound like you're from around here," he jokes, because Robin's British accent is _obviously_ not from around here.

Robin shakes his head and finishes a bite of pie. "I'm was born in Sherwood, but moved to London when I was around twelve. I came to America to teach after teaching in London became boring, and I worked in a school about an hour from here before, in fact," Robin says, and it's easier to talk about himself, it almost stops him from glancing at Regina every few seconds, just seeing what she's doing and if she's still there.

"Cool, cool, means you'll be happy here. It's like a holiday, because this school is so chill and the students are _real_ chill usually. After I transferred from my last school, like five years ago, it was too good to be true," John smirks.

Robin already knows how _chill_ some students can be.

Stop it.

"So, are you married?" John asks next, the click from him opening his water bottle following just after. Robin avoids eye contact and fiddles with his fork. It's still a soft spot for him. The divorce, the moving away, the heartbreak. He hasn't had to think of it for a while, because of Regina. And now it's double the trouble and triple the heartache, because he doesn't even have _her_ anymore.

He sighs, "I'm divorcing... but yes, technically I'm still married." John seems to grimace, and the he mutters an apology. "It's fine... It came to it's natural end I suppose."

"Just think, now you're a free agent. Find somebody nice, and soon you'll be back on track," John smiles, and Robin thinks that it's the most relevant thing he's said all day. Although he _has_ found somebody nice, and he _was_ getting back on track, but now... Not so much.

Robin finishes his food, and after a while of sitting and talking of happier topics with John, he gets up and buys himself a coffee. "I'm gonna head back to my class in a moment, I think," Robin says, nodding his head towards the large double doors.

"Of course, of course, I'd better be off now too. Good luck with the rest of your lessons," John pats him on the back like he'd done at their introduction, and walks towards the exit.

When John leaves, Robin turns to glance at the room once more, only to find Regina stood in front of him, arms folded, making him almost jump out of his skin. "I need to talk to you."

Robin's eyes widen in alarm, and he looks around to see if anyone is watching them before indicating to the door which he thinks leads to the small hallway before the gymnasium. She follows, and once they're there, he looses it.

"What do you think you're doing? Coming up to me in school like that?" He hisses, pointing to the canteen. "Anyone could have seen!"

"Calm down, Robin," she grits her teeth, leaning on the door they just came through with the calm of a priest. "It's not like anyone _knows_! I'm just a student talking to a teacher, quite a common thing in a _school_ ," she rolls her eyes, and right, he feels a little stupid. "I was just going to give you a heads up, because unless somebody else has the initials 'RL' whose class is M23, I have you third period tomorrow... and then first on Thursday, and third on Friday," she grimaces, and Robin closes his eyes.

Nothing is ever easy.

"Alright... I guess that's fine," he sighs, "we can deal with that." He knows he's only trying to convince himself.

Regina swallows and puts a gentle hand on his arm, which he doesn't remove. "Again... I'm so sorry about this. I just thought that since I only have four months left at school, that I could hide it from you until I left... I didn't know that you would show up here and-"

"Regina, it's fine," he insists, because they're just going back and forth over things that they can't change. She gives his arm a little squeeze and then removes her hand, and he feels it's absence immediately. He's close to her and that's not a good thing, because everything inside of him is pulling him closer and closer and he knows that all he can do is the opposite.

But the hurt and regret in her eyes is so intense that he thinks he feels it too, radiating off of her - and so he curses not being able to touch her, puts his hand to her warm cheek and rubs it with his thumb. She closes her brown eyes and hums into it softly, and he takes one last look at her like this, one last glance at her while she's close to him. He wishes things could've gone differently, because he knows that the things he's feeling don't come around often, but he has to let this one go. It's whats best for both of them.

He clears his throat and drops his hand, and Regina looks up at him knowingly. "I'm going to get back to my room now. I need to prepare for my next lesson."

She nods, and he leaves first, makes it all the way across the canteen, out of the room and back to his class without looking back.


	3. Pretty Girl with the Dark Hair

_Sorry for the wait - next update will be super quick. All mistakes are mine. Bit of a flashback chapter... Enjoy!_

* * *

 _It has to be after ten already. He'd arrived at the bar over an hour ago - and that was definitely around nine - so that means it should be ten... right?_

 _Killian has been busy working since Robin had arrived, and he'd said that he'd definitely be less busy at ten because Walsh is coming for his shift - so why he's still at the other end of the bar serving customers, Robin doesn't know. If he'd just come over, Robin will have somebody to talk (complain) to, and he can stop sitting here swirling a drink in his hand like a lonely looser. He just really needs to rant to his friend, because he's not happy about what had happened today._

 _Of course Marian had decided to be difficult. The divorce has been stressing her out as much as himself, and apparently it means she has to make things ten times more difficult for him. She'd called, asking to keep the house that_ he _bought, because she feels like she deserves it._

 _For bloody what? For deciding to break his heart a few months ago? For saying she thought that is wasn't working? For making this process, which_ she _initiated, harder for him?_

 _Over his dead body._

 _Just that moment, Killian comes over from his end and skids over to Robin, raising an eyebrow and tapping both hands on the bar. "Marian?" Robin nods and Killian turns, grabbing a bottle of something and two glasses. "You need some of the strong stuff - lucky I own this joint so I can indulge with you."_

 _Robin scoffs and accepts the glass Killian's just poured, clinking it with the other. "She wants the house."_

 _"She bloody what?" Killian exclaims, voice slightly muffled by the door opening behind them, three chuckling women walking in and to the other end of the bar. "You're not going to give it to her are you? It's a house you bought before you met her," he says, ignoring the disturbance as Walsh comes out from the back, straightening his shirt._

 _Robin shrugs and puts his glass to his lips, "it became half hers when I married her," he says, swallowing what he realizes is scotch._

 _"That's not the point," he tuts, looking past Robin and noticing a table that could use a clean. "One sec, mate."_

 _Robin sighs as Killian rounds to the front of the bar and goes over to the table. It's nice - Killian's bar. It's not too loud, but not too quiet. It's a typical bar - nothing special, but the customers are always nice (and often hot) so Robin can't complain. The varnished wood of the bar and the comfy stools have been Robins go-to point for the last few months, and he's always welcomed with a friendly smile from his friend and a pint on the house. The music isn't always to his taste, but who is he to talk about the music he doesn't like when there are so many other things his mind is occupied with?_

 _Speaking of things his mind is occupied with, he lets his eyes wonder around the less than busy bar, now. There's a young looking couple drinking quietly to his left, and a man sat alone at the end of the bar to his right. Robin almost chuckles at the lonely bugger, but then he remembers that he's much like himself._

 _Alone, moody, drinking._

 _His eyes wonder back to the left side of the bar. In the corner at a table are a group of old punters, maybe in their 50's, maybe younger - but aged by their drinking habits and stressful lives. They look happy enough, although Robin doesn't think that such a lifestyle is ideal. Daily trips to the pub with the guys? He'd rather have a family, and better things to occupy his time with. But that doesn't seem possible now..._

Stop it.

 _At the table next to the one Killian is cleaning, are the three women who'd come in a few minutes ago. They're giggling, sipping drinks, chatting away about something he can't hear._

 _Two hot blondes and a one raven haired beauty._

 _He may not be over Marian, but he can certainly appreciate a gorgeous woman when he sees one, and right now his eyes are caught on the pretty girl with the dark hair. She looks young - younger than him, but she looks mature and in her element and he can't stop looking at her. She's talking away to her friends now, eyes shining, smile on her lips, and they're looking at her and listening._

 _He knows he shouldn't stare, but he's looking at her wishing he could her her voice, because wow, she's so pretty._

 _They all giggle, and now she's laughing too - and suddenly her eyes move upwards and land directly on his like they'd been pulled that way._

 _He should look away - look away now._

 _Like right now._

 _Like any moment now would be fine..._

 _Nope. He's obviously just gonna keep staring at her, and she's staring right back at him. Her laugh doesn't falter, but her eyebrows begin to twitch a little and her head tilts to the side ever so slightly. He can't read what she's thinking, but as her giggle subsides her mouth settles on a smirk, eyes never leaving his and-_

 _"What were you saying mate?" Killian makes Robin jump out of his skin as he snaps his head away from the stunning lady and over to his friend. His drink sloshes over his fingers a little, and Killian has a smug grin on his face._

 _Embarrassing or what?_

 _"Bloody hell," Robin exclaims, shaking his hand to get the drips off._

 _"Ahh. Two guess on what you were just staring at..." Killian turns his head in the direction Robin had just been looking, but Robin doesn't dare follow his gaze. "The one in the middle or the one in the middles boobs."_

 _Robin scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Yes, the one in the middle because you know I'm partial to dark hair," he says. "I was not looking at her boobs, though."_

 _Killian returns his attention to Robin and raises an eyebrow. "Ever the gentleman, Locksley."_

 _"Always," he mutters, downing the rest of his drink._

 _"So, we were talking about that bloody 'she-devil' trying to take your house," Killian gets back to their previous topic, and Robins fluttering moment of something that resembles a distraction, dissipates._

 _"_ Our _house," Robin emphasizes, glaring directly at his friends dark, rugged appearance._

 _Killian offers him a floppy smirk - one that Robin knows 'drives the girls wild'. "Didn't I say that's not the point?" He tops up their glasses, and then slides one glass back to Robin._

 _"What_ is _the point then?"_

 _Killian chuckles and raises an eyebrow. "The point is that_ you _bought the house. It's yours for goodness sake, and you married her because you loved her and that's why it became half hers. Now that you're divorcing and you no longer love her," Robin disagrees with that last part, "the bloody thing is yours and you have more rights to it than her."_

 _Robin nods his head and purses his lips. "I just..." he doesn't know what to say. Marian has been his whole life for five years. She's been his lover, his friend, his shoulder to cry on. Despite her losing feelings, it isn't that easy for him. He doesn't want to give up his house, but for her... for her it's different. He wants her to be happy - always, and he hates the stupid part of him that wants to put that happiness before his own. "I just don't know what to do. She doesn't deserve it - no way, but I can't help but feel like I shouldn't be so rash with saying no."_

 _Killian puts his hands to his face and rubs, letting out what resembles a frustrated groan as he does. "Robin, I'm gonna be honest mate. Feelings aside, you can't let her be a spoiled brat. It's your house, you lived there before you even knew her. She isn't gonna fall in love with you again because you gave her the house, is she?" Killian says, and suddenly Robin is angry._

 _"I'm not an idiot, Killian," he spits, because he isn't an idiot. He knows that giving her the house isn't going to return lost feelings. He isn't delusional or in denial. For somebody to assume that his kindness is as such is insulting. "I'm not trying to win her back."_

 _"Right," Killian sighs, putting his hands up in surrender and stepping back. "I just think you should stand your ground with her for once. You're not getting back together, she isn't respecting you, so say 'fuck it' and don't give her what she wants."_

 _"Hmm..." Robin ponders for a moment, thinking that Killian may be right with that one. He fixes his gaze onto the chipped wood of the counter, depressing thoughts beginning to consume him. He's just letting Marian walk all over him. He's letting her take advantage of his soft heart and strong feelings. He doesn't deserve that. He deserves somebody more considerate._

 _Just then, a soft as honey voice drips it's way to his ears and pulls his head in her direction._

 _"Margarita please," she drawls, leaning forward at the bar - but she isn't facing the bartender, she's facing him. Facing him with her brown eyes, red lips, that tight, low cut black dress._

 _He can't look away again, and clearly, neither can she._

 _"Sure. You got ID?" Walsh replies, turning away to make her drink. He sees that she's distracted, though. Misses the question because she's still gazing at him with her chin in her palm, elbow on the bar. "ID?" he repeats louder, and she raises an eyebrow and_ "hmm?" _s at him, finally realizing she's being spoken to. "ID?" he says a third time, rolling his eyes and holding the newly poured drink firmly in his hand._

 _She shifts and seems to snap out of whatever wonderland she's in, cheeks flushing pink. He's glad he has that effect on woman, still. Then she mutters something that he can't hear, and as gracefully as she can manage, slips her hand into her cleavage and pulls a card out of it._

 _She holds it out to Walsh's stunned form with a smug, yet frustrated expression. He takes it and looks it over, before appearing a little embarrassed. "Happy birthday from last month," Walsh says quietly, finally handing her the drink and her ID. She lifts her glass in thanks, and then backs away from the bar, sending Robin one last glance before walking back to her table._

 _"Put your bloody tongue back in," Killian mutters, walking in from the back and rubbing his hand with a towel. Robin hadn't even realized he'd gone anywhere._

 _"I'm allowed to appreciate."_

 _Killian scoffs, "clearly she's appreciating right back," he moves his head subtly in her direction. Robin frowns and turns to where she's sitting, staring at him. Still._

 _"Bloody hell," Robin says, eyes growing dark. Attractive women seem to be his weakness, at the moment. Maybe it's because he's been in a committed relationship for years - or maybe it's just because he's sex-deprived and a red blooded male._

 _Either way, she's hot - and he can't help but fantasize-_

 _"Buy her a drink?" Killian suggests, disrupting his train of thought._

 _"She just bought one," Robin points out the obvious, surprised when Killian slams a glass down a little too hard._

 _"Jesus Christ, Robin. You aren't the brightest," he groans, and then he speaks over Robins_ 'hey!' _"The bloody point is not to provide her with a drink, but to show interest. Now I'm going to take this over to her and tell her that the handsome one with the dimples said 'hi', how about that?"_

 _Before Robin can even respond, Killian is taking the newly poured glass and is walking over to her table. Robin avoids eye contact at all costs, and glares at his drink like it's suddenly developed something very interesting._

 _He's going to look like a right idiot, buying a younger woman a drink. She probably isn't even interested. She was probably just looking at him because he'd been staring at-_

 _Suddenly a glass is placed in front of him, and he lifts his head quickly in surprise only to find himself at a closer than close proximity with the (even more stunning this close) woman. She's facing him, leaning the side of her body on the bar, lips pursed. He can smell her fruity perfume, now, can admire her dark eyes and glossy black hair from a new angle._

 _"I have a drink," she states, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the glass. He frowns, too distracted by her lips to understand her at first... and he knows that if he glances down just an inch, her cleavage is-_

 _Stop it!_

 _"I uh..." he starts, his throat is dry though, and he has to clear his throat. "Hmm?"_

 _She snickers a little - is she laughing at him? -and then leans closer, voice just above a (quite seductive) whisper, "I have a drink."_

 _He is so turned on right now._

 _She's close, she smells good, her voice is like honey and he just can't get enough of her naturally seductive nature. It's like something is pulling him, maybe it's the alcohol, but he wants to touch her, feel that she's real. She is real, right?_

 _"Well..." he swallows hard, eyes dropping quickly to her lips and then back up again. "Now you have another."_

 _Lame, lame, lame. Stupid, lame, fucking, not-flirty-at-all response!_

 _'Now you have a-fucking-nother?' Is he stupid? What happened to all of those damn pick up lines he knows? His natural charm? His flirtatious nature?_

 _Already fucked that one up, and he hasn't even fucked her yet._

 _No. There will be no fucking._

 _His thoughts are interrupted by a laugh. It's sweet, and bubbly, and when he looks at her he sees that it's genuine. "Well I can see that," she snorts, shoulder shaking as her chuckles subside. "What I mean 'handsome one with the dimples' is, why did you get me a drink when you know I already have one?" She's pulling the stool out, now._

 _He doesn't know why he's surprised when she sits on it._

 _He can't just go right out and say that he didn't actually want to get her one. Well not that he was against the idea... he just didn't think about it. Not that he wouldn't have but-_

 _"Are you somewhere else?" She asks, sipping the unknown contents of the glass and frowning. "Maybe I should-"_

 _"No no!" He puts a hand on her knee to stop her standing. Her skin is warm, and smooth, and it's soft. He doesn't want to move his hand. He instantly regrets his move, though, when she glances down at where his hand is and bites her lip. Is she going to shout? Is she going to throw that glass in his face? What if she slaps him for feeling her up?_

 _"Bit forward. I don't even know your name," she chuckles, and that's when he realizes that this is easier than he thought. Talking to a woman. She's joking around, she's had the courage to approach him, and all he's doing is worrying about everything. He's rusty - it's been a while, but he thinks that maybe this is going well._

 _Well, it isn't, but she doesn't seem to care._

 _"Right. Sorry. I'm Robin. And you..?" He holds up his glass and she picks hers up and clinks it with his._

 _"Regina."_

* * *

Tonight, he wishes he could go back.

Go back there, to the bar, on that night, with that pretty girl with the dark hair.

Well, he's here at the bar, nursing a drink, but it's not the same because one; it isn't that night, and two; that pretty girl with the dark hair isn't here. She's at home. Probably asleep because she has _school_ in the morning.

Yeah. School.

That's right. Stunning, flirtatious, quick witted, bold, great ass, amazing kisser, pretty-girl-with-the-dark-hair is in high school _._

He should blame himself.

He should've worked it out. Why didn't he remember Walsh telling her happy birthday before? When he'd found out her age, and that she clearly had a fake ID, he just assumed the birth _day_ was wrong too. Why didn't he ask her? Why didn't he think about these things?

Maybe then, pretty girl with the dark hair could've been a one night thing.

Or a no night thing.

Maybe if pretty girl with the dark hair, in her little black dress with her big brown eyes had been a 'no night' thing, he wouldn't miss her so much. He wouldn't have fallen so hard. He wouldn't be right back to where he fucking started a month ago.

Heartbroken at the bar, waiting on Killian to have some free time to talk, nursing a stupid scotch a few seats down from a lonely bugger who reflects where he will be in a few years.

So yeah, he wishes he could go back there. Maybe _not_ to actually _change_ things - he'd never really change things - but to relive the moments with her when he was blissfully unaware. Where it was all fun and games, and open hearts and happy nights. Back there to where he gets to live the joy and thrill all over again. Back to where he can watch her sleeping, so peaceful and content.

Where he can let his mind go someplace between imagination and wanting. _Them, happy, a few years down the line. She has his ring on her finger, he's buying her flowers - they're utterly and blissfully in love..._

That isn't going to happen now.

It's ironic, that. He was sat here almost a month ago, stressed about Marian and broken hearted - admiring a gorgeous lass at the bar. And now he's sitting again, same seat, same damn feeling in the pit of his stomach, but over the girl who had helped him forget about his first problem. The one he's fallen oh so fast for.

Somehow, sometime, somewhere in between then and now he caught feelings from a fishing net in the sky - the stupid clouds handing it to him on a plate, and he can't shake them. Doesn't want to.

It's only been a day.

She's just beautiful. She is... was, perfect for him. Intelligent. Good listener. Pretty smiler. Has this knack for making his stomach flutter and his heart burst. This ability to make him forget.

Forget his hurt over Marian.

What he hadn't realized, though, is that he hadn't _forgotten_ his hurt, he just didn't have it anymore. She'd kissed his wounds, and he's all better now.

 _Was_ all better.

Until life started ripping stitches, shoving salt in his open wounds... tearing every ounce of happiness to shreds. He can't see her anymore. And it hurts.

It's a shock... just this morning she'd texted him that she'd come over - before either of them knew what would happen. Before either of them knew that what they were doing was totally wrong.

"Sorry mate, I was busy. Marian again?" Killian walks over, looking no different than he did a month ago. Nothing's changed. Not even Robins position.

Just the type of pain. This pain is fresh.

"No," he mutters.

" _No_?" Killian asks, surprise present in his voice.

"No," he repeats. "Pretty girl with dark hair."

* * *

 _He wakes peacefully and content, wrapped warmly in his sheets, he sun pooling in through his window, highlighting his silhouette on the bed. The house is quiet, his pillow is comfortable, he slept like a dream, and he feels happy._

 _Strangely enough._

 _And then he remembers why... and he has to wonder for a moment whether the whole thing was real or not, because she isn't here now._

 _She, who he remembers was beautiful. Really beautiful. And funny. And smart, and sexy, with this little habit of biting her lip._

 _She whose voice he remembers. That sexy, charming, seductive and unforgettable voice. The way she laughed - he remembers that. The way moved her hips._

 _Her ass._

 _The way she said his name. And then said it again. And again._

 _And again._

 _He remembers her body, on his, under his, against his bedroom door._

 _His memories are escalating quickly. One minute he's remembering her looking cute at the bar, the next he's seemingly remembering the way she moaned and bit his shoulder._

 _Why did he have to be drunk last night? Why is his mind a jumble now?_

 _What's her name again? The hot one... the pretty one with the dark hair?_

 _The one he slept with last night?_

 _He sits up slowly rubbing his head with his hand, the dull ache he knows will become more prominent later already making itself known._

 _She's definitely gone. She's not in his bed- but wait... what's this?_

 _He looks to the pillow next to his own, focuses his attention on what looks like a bubblegum wrapper with writing on it. He reaches over carefully, and a smile graces its way to his lips when he sees what's on it._

 _A number and a name. A beautiful, amazing, great kisser of a name._

 _'Call me? -Regina' punctuated with her red lips. He ghosts his hand over the kiss mark tenderly, smiling to himself. It was real after all. It was real, and he doesn't have to search the country to find her._

 _He has all he needs right here, and he thinks he'll call her soon._


	4. Lesson Learned

_Like I said, I'm keeping it realistic so not much R &R interaction for a while... but today they have a lesson together so..._

 _All mistakes are mine - and I finished writing this at 3am so hahaha, there might be a few._

* * *

It's Tuesday, and she's moody.

She doesn't make a habit out of being in bad moods (some might disagree), but at the moment she's rather angry. Her mother likes to dramatize things - it's nothing new, and so why Regina didn't anticipate her mothers punishment for arriving home late yesterday, she doesn't know.

Her car has been confiscated.

That's right. Her mother has taken her car, has scolded her more than once on the subject, and now Regina is sat at the kitchen island, pouting over her bowl of Coco Pops, slouching in her seat. She isn't five years old, but sometimes mother treats her like a naive toddler.

What is this punishment meant to achieve? She knows what she's done wrong... it was an accident (not really) that she arrived home late, so why does mother have to be dramatic and act as if taking her car is going to sort out the problem?

If anything, it's going to make it worse.

"Before dinner, I said. 7 pm is all I asked, and yet you wanted to go gallivanting with that bad influence you call a friend," Cora spits, storming around the room in her pant suit, collecting her keys from the kitchen table, her purse from by the door, sending Regina a stern glance as she does. "Seriously, Regina, sit straight! Posture is self respect!"

And naturally, Regina sits straight, throwing her spoon into her bowl with a little more attitude than she intended. Her mother pauses her rush to collect her various items for work and glares at Regina for a second. Her glares are the worst, and Regina has to flash her eyes in any other direction because it's too intense.

Her mother is a lawyer, so she has to be stern, has to have a game face and an overbearing attitude. She's not the most maternal either, at least not when it counts, so Regina has to live with this somewhat sad motto of _"she's like this because she loves you,"_ or _"she's only saying this because she cares."_

Neither are convincing.

"Leo will be here tonight to make sure that you're home promptly. I'll be home late because of the big case."

 _Ah_ , the big case. How had she not expected the big case, which seemingly makes its way into every conversation with her mother, to pop up here. It's all she ever hears about.

 _"Do you have to be such a nuisance Regina? You know I'm working a big case!"_

 _"Stop watching Television, Regina! I'm going over the case in my office upstairs and it's distracting!"_

 _"Leopold will be cooking tonight, I'm working late on the case."_

Then there are the phone calls, the emails, the coming downstairs at 1 am to find her mother sat in the dark reading files. Regina honestly doesn't understand why her mother insists on taking on these "huge cases", just to complain about them every second. She also doesn't understand why she needs to be on Misthaven's board of Governors if being a lawyer is so draining. But alas, it means that the focus isn't solely on her, and she can be more free to do as she pleases.

Before 7 pm, anyway.

"You'll get your car back on Wednesday if you're back promptly each night. If not, or if i get any attitude from you, you won't see that thing for a while. You can take the bus with Mary in the meantime," Cora continues, walking over to the fridge to collect a low fat yogurt. Regina mutters a _"Yes mother"_ with a little more sass than she'd intended. Cora stops and turns, and Regina thinks she's about to say something, but just then the bell rings, and Regina thanks every lucky star for Emma's timing.

Yes, she'd called Emma this morning, and while she'd rather not get into that yellow tin can of hers this early, she'd do anything not to take the bus. Regina hadn't told her mother about Emma coming because she would've forced Regina onto the bus instead, just to be spiteful.

Can't do much now that Emma is already here.

"That's Emma," she grumbles, walking past her mother and grabbing her own purse, coat, and keys. "I'll be back tonight - by 7."

Her mother huffs something, but Regina doesn't quite catch it, because she's already leaving the grand, white mansion that she calls home, and smiling at Emma's uniform clad form. "Gina, this is the last time I drive all the way to Mifflin street, just to go all the way to Misthaven," she sighs tiredly, and Regina ignores her because she knows that it most probably (unfortunately for them both) wont be the last time.

"You're lucky enough to live closer to school, I have to travel at least fifteen minutes _by car_ ," Regina sighs, walking down the front path to Emma's car.

"Which means today, I have to do double that - and then some!" Emma cries, reaching her car door and opening it up.

"You didn't lock it?" Regina frowns, looking over the roof at Emma.

Emma climbs in with an eye roll, and Regina follows and puts her purse in the back."This is Mifflin street, Regina. Not the ghetto."

Regina adjusts herself in the cold leather seat, glancing at the grimy tissue she sees on the floor and the stack of CD's that are scattered across the dashboard. Emma has this messy habit of not taking proper care of her things, and now unfortunately Regina has to sit through a whole car ride of gross. "It's really not that bad," she glances up at Emma's remark, now seeing that the blonde is looking at her with a shy smirk, seat belt in hand. Regina almost feels bad for her disgusted expression.

"At least tell me that you bought that drink sometime this week," Regina raises an eyebrow, pointing a finger to the cup holder between them which holds a battered looking McDonald's cup. Emma grimaces. "Ew! Emma!"

"It's not that bad!" Emma exclaims, turning her key and putting the car into drive, going somewhere close to the speed limit and it has Regina nervous. "It was only coke."

They drive away from her posh, quiet street, around the corner and past the diner that they usually get breakfast at. Regina sighs, because that means she wont be able to pick up a coffee on the way to school this morning, but she knows that they sell it in the school canteen.

Cheap and bitter, but it will have to do.

"Stop wearing that pissed off look on your face. Not my fault your car was confiscated by 'her majesty' and we had to miss coffee," Emma mumbles. Her best friend has always been able to read her well, it's one of the reasons she appreciates her so much.

In fact, last night she'd arrived home late because she'd gone over to Emma's - Ingrid (her adoptive mother) had made them Tacos (Emma's favorite) and Regina hadn't refused. She'd rather have Ingrid's tacos than chef made risotto any day, it's sickening and it sticks to her stomach - made even worse by the fact that she has to sit straight at the table listening to her step sister talk and talk and _talk_ about stupid bullshit like her piano recital or how _charming_ David is. Sitting with a messy plate of food on Emma's bed, whilst Beyonce played behind them on the radio as they giggled and talked about nonsense, followed by home made gelato was a better fix for Regina's aching heart.

And then she'd gotten home around eight thirty, dinner long finished, faced with her mothers wrath and a now confiscated car.

"If Ingrid didn't made such good food, maybe 'her majesty' wouldn't have had need to confiscate said car, and then we wouldn't be missing said coffee, and then I wouldn't have this 'pissed off look on my face', " she snickers as they stop at a red light.

"True," Emma concedes, and then, "I'm guessing you wont be-" she's interrupted by the doors flying open, as Daniel and Graham jump into Emma's backseat, throwing Regina's purse onto the floor and scaring the life out of both of them.

 _"That's a Chanel, Daniel!"_ and _"What are you guys doing?"_ Emma and Regina shout at the same time, gaining them a snicker from the boys, and a little apology from Daniel.

"We were about to cross the street, and we saw your Bug. Free lift to school!" Graham smirks, poking Emma in the shoulder as the light turns green. She mutters something inaudible under her breath, and continues to watch the road.

"Yeah, you guys weren't at breakfast this morning - or yesterday. Has tradition broken or something?" Daniel pokes his head between Regina and Emma. Regina snaps her head to the side and gives him one of her looks, making him back off a little. His rugged appearance and sloppy uniform has her wondering if he stayed out with Graham last night.

"Emma was there yesterday, and you know how my mother is on the first day of each term," she replies testily, focusing her attention up front again. He's silent for a moment, and she knows it's thinking space for something he needs to get off his chest. Something she'd rather not get into.

"So it's not because of..." he trails off, he knows she gets what he means. He's referring to their break up, which had been civil enough since they'd managed to part as friends, both just pretending to be _absolutely fine_ with the terms of their separation.

Let's just say that there was a party, with loads of music, alcohol, and _apparently_ this one girl that was too irresistible for Daniel to not make out with behind her back.

"No Daniel, we broke up almost three months ago. Nothing changed then, why would it change now?" She snaps, and he sits further back in his seat, with a frustrated grunt.

"It's just that I heard through the grapevine that you're with someone-"

"Emma! You told him?" Regina shouts to her friend, because she knows that Emma was at the bar when she first left with Robin, and she also knows that Emma knows she's been 'seeing' somebody.

Thank God Regina never told her who.

Emma glances from the road, to Regina, and then back to the road. "Well... I just told him that you weren't available, so to stop pestering me on Snapchat to talk to you," she shrugs, taking her hands from the wheel for a second.

"I wasn't pestering you!"

"Yes you were!" She frowns, turning to give him a look quickly. He grits his teeth, and is about to retort, but Graham jumps in.

"Look, children, I think we all knew that Regina was fucking somebody. She was M.I.A most of spring break," he says matter-of-factly, and Regina hates how persistent her friends are. She also hates how blunt they are about it all. It's none of Daniels business who she sees, and it's certainly none of Grahams. She knows Emma means well, because all she'd actually told Emma was that she met somebody and they'd been... busy. She knows nothing of stupid feelings and messy situations. She doesn't know just how serious everything is.

"Gee, wanna get any more information about me out in the open before I actually _tell_ you about it?" Regina says flatly, looking out of he window and realizing that they're already rounding the corner of the student car park.

Daniel grabs her Chanel from the floor and hands (more like shoves) it to her, and then jumps out of the car before Emma even has the chance to park, slamming the door for good measure.

"Wonder what got on his tits," Graham huffs, picking up his backpack from the messy floor at his feet.

"Or who," Emma says, putting the car into park and then opening the door.

It isn't fair that Daniel is the one that broke her heart all those months ago, and now she's the one getting scolded for it. Nobody gets at Emma for jumping from guy to guy, when everybody knows that her and Graham are totally into each other.

Everybody knows they're _good_ friends with benefits.

They climb out of the car and begin to walk around to the front of the school. Emma is in between Regina and Graham applying strawberry lip balm and holding a pocket mirror close to her face. Graham pulls out his cell and looks at it distantly and Regina walks alongside them in the same mood she's been in all morning. This is how they tend to walk into school each morning, although usually Daniel is beside Graham (prior to the break up he was beside _her_ ) and Regina is in a cheerier mood (due to her not having a confiscated car and lack of coffee).

"What've you got first?" Emma asks offering Regina the lip balm (which she refuses) and shoving her mirror into her top pocket. Regina mumbles that she has History with Ms Lucas, but laughs when Graham says he has Science with Mallory.

"You have dragon bitch!" Emma snorts as they walk across the foyer. Graham nudges her, and she nudges back, and suddenly Regina gets this longing feeling of wanting to _have_ somebody to just mess around with like that. Why is everything falling apart for her? She swallows the feeling down though, and says goodbye to both of her friends as they head to the third floor, as she's on the bottom floor. They agree to meet at break to get a late coffee, and then the 8:50am bell is ringing so that students and teachers know that they have ten minutes left until first class.

* * *

He's not late.

He's not late, he's not going to be late, he is never, _ever_ late, and so he's fine, just a bit short on time. He knows he's close to the school, he recognizes this corner from yesterday, and he's sure that sports field he's just passed can be seen from the school building, too.

It's 8:51am, and he has nine minutes to get however far he needs, and then rush up to his classroom and greet the... the... second set ninth graders? No no, that's second lesson... he has-

Damnit, it doesn't matter what class he has, he just has to get there and he'll find out by looking at them.

"Fuck!" He growls, because he's sure the light was green just a second ago, and he's almost positive that it turned red as he drove past it.

Well, that's another ticket.

He doesn't dwell on it long, though, because he can see the school now, and thank goodness for that. He might be right on time...

It's all because of his stupid alarm clock. The thing was set to ring - it has always rung - at 6:45am. 6:45am, every morning, at every job at every school he's ever had, at any point when he's needed to be awoken early, and even on those stupid fucking weekends where he's forgotten to turn it off, 6:45am his alarm _always_ rings.

But today.

 _Today -_ on the second day of his new job, today when he's already stressed about everything else going on around him, today when he _just_ wants something to go right, it doesn't ring.

He was awoken by a phone call from his divorce lawyer, of all people.

And that had been a treat in it's own right, waking at 7:59am, head distorted, eyes fuzzy, voice croaky. A slight confusion in the back of his mind thinking; _'who on earth is calling at this early hour?'_

But it wasn't an early hour, it was already 8am, and the voice coming at him through the phone was rambling about papers, an issue on the other end of the situation, a meeting needing to be arranged, and all Robin was doing was getting dressed (he'd skipped out on a shower), and mumbling _'hm'_ s and _'yeah'_ s and _'that's fine'_ s into the receiver.

And now he's parking, grabbing his brief, haul-assing out of the car and sprinting to the main doors of the school. It's 8:57am, and the corridors are clearing up, students are already going into classes, and he just needs to make it up these stairs to the middle floor, up to his classroom, up to grade eight, or ten, or whatever grade he's teaching right now and he's fine.

Just as he reaches his classroom, students begin piling in despite them not being invited. Robin ignores it though, because to be honest he's cutting it a bit fine.

Okay, a _lot_ fine.

"Morning class," he follows them in and goes over to stand by his desk, cheeks pink and out of breath from the run, "I'm Mr Locksley, your new literature teacher, because as you may know, your old teacher went on maternity leave before spring break," he thinks they're ninth graders, and when he glances down at the papers he's pulling out of his brief, he confirms his assumption. Jesus, he's out of breath. He should probably sit down, and should also find a way to apply deodorant because he'd broken quite a sweat and hadn't even showered and-

"Are we still doing The Handmaids Tale?" One student asks in the front row, the face of innocence and eager learning, and Robins morning actually gets a little brighter. He's stopped rushing, is now sat in his seat trying to slow his heart rate from all that driving and running, and he can't help smiling - yes, _smiling_ , because this little girl in the front row wants to learn.

Robin you old softy.

"Yes... yes you are. And you're going to enjoy the analysis we get into," he replies, pulling out the copy that he knows is in his desk drawer, because all of the books on the curriculum seem to be provided for him there. "May I ask your name?"

"I'm Gretal," she replies shyly, and wow, he's never met a _Gretal_ before.

"You're such a kiss ass, sometimes," a girl with similar hair, but a brown shade rather than blonde says from beside the girl. Robin frowns and gives her a stern glare.

"And you are?"

"Grace Elaine Hatter, but people call me Grace. That's a G, R, A - no 'I' included - C and E, just so you spell it right when you put it up on the board, which I'm sure you will at some point - if not right now," she mutters, opening up her own copy of the book.

Robin is taken aback. Is this the Grace that John had spoken about yesterday in his analysed, pre-warning speech about some students?

Whoever she is, Robin can't stand attitude, had to deal with it enough in his old school - and he's already in a shitty mood so, "Stand up please," he orders, and the girl raises an eyebrow. "Now."

She stands, and this has the classes attention, they all perk up, some watching and waiting, some snickering and pointing - but all paying attention. "What?"

"Not 'what', 'yes sir'," he raises his voice, "you want to be a smart arse in my class? You won't be in my class for long. So less of the attitude, less of the snide comments, less of the spelling lessons, and apologize to Gretal."

Her cheeks turn pink and she swallows hard, and for a moment, he thinks she's about to cry, but when she doesn't make any move to obey him, he rolls his eyes. "That's S, O, R, R, Y, just so you get it right," he throws her methods back at her, and she looks down and mumbles a quick apology, before sitting at her desk.

Well at least that gets the class rolling, and he also got to let off some of that steam he's been holding in since both the divorce lawyer called, and he'd woken up late, and basically anything that happened yesterday. He begins with reading a significant part of the book, because he knows they've already read the whole thing, and he just needs to get this point across so that they can do the activities.

The majority do it silently, probably scared to mess with him after that display with _"G R A -no 'I' - C E"_ and he's glad that they've established he's not one to mess with.

Well _actually_ he usually is somewhat of a lenient guy, not a lot pisses him off and to be honest, he doesn't like to shout - but when he's in a mood like this, or when an attitude warrants it, he won't hold back.

"Mr Locksley?" Grace whispers to him as he goes around the classroom, looking over students shoulders to see how they're doing with the work. He isn't one to hold a grudge, and he's big on second chances, so he offers her a warm smile and crouches to be level with her and her desk. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry for being rude," she says, looking around cautiously to see if anybody is watching.

"That's quite alright Grace. Just please don't get like that again, we really will get along much better if you come to the class ready to learn, and not ready to mutter degrading comments to your peers," he says seriously, but not harshly. She nods and offers him a shy smile. Taking that as the conversation being over, he stands and walks around the classroom some more, looking over students shoulders a their answers, and helping them with any questions they ask.

When the bell rings for break he stays in his classroom, finally taking a moment for himself to think over what's been going on.

He knows he misses _her_. The same her he'll see today in his classroom. Red lips and brown eyes that will have to act like it's the first time they've seen his. The reality of them ending has hit him, and has finally set in his stomach, causing a knot to form in his throat.

He knows they were only 'together' for a few weeks, knows that they were never serious, but that doesn't erase his feelings. Doesn't change everything they'd spoken about, everything she made him feel - doesn't change the fact that he... he...

He can't formulate the words, can't comprehend the fact that she's been able to affect him in such a way, and now he can't even touch her.

It's torture, and to be honest - it's unfair.

Why does his heart yearn for her? Why does he feel like this and it's only been a day since he's seen her? Why does fate have to be so cruel?

He doesn't get to wonder for long, because the bell rings and his second period students begin piling in.

* * *

Regina's stomach is in knots, and it's not just because she can't answer this last question on her math sheet. She's in second period, math, and the lesson is almost over - which means that it's almost time to walk into the classroom of Mr Locksley. _Mr Locksley_. She'd find such a formal and professional title and position hot if it weren't under such circumstances, and to be perfectly honest she _does_ but she _shouldn't_ because what she's feeling is not allowed.

"Regina, last question?" Elsa whispers from beside her and, and Regina turns, irritated, with a scowl on her face.

"Haven't done it," she mutters, turning back and placing her elbow on the desk. Then she hears a snicker from somewhere behind her, and somebody's poor excuse of a whisper of _"someone's off their game,"_ and Regina knows exactly who this is.

Lily.

Lily trying to get under her skin, Lily trying to make her mad, Lily trying to be a _smart ass_ , all because she has this fixation of hate towards _Emma_. Of course Regina gets hauled into this war by association, and so does Tink.

It all started in ninth grade. Lily, Regina and Emma were the best of friends - inseparable, even (what a sickening cliche), and Lily had been obsessed with this certain dreamy eyed twelfth grader _forever_. The headmasters son, Neal Cassidy-Gold. He was all she spoke about... all she thought about... and the only guy that ever came between them.

Every day, after school, she'd wait outside the office with him. Her mother, the science teacher and deputy used to have late meeting with Gold, and so both children would sit on the battered cushioned chairs in the dark hallway, complaining about school and taking selfies. Except one day he wasn't there, and she'd gone to look for him - only to find him in the supply closet with none other than Regina's blond best friend.

Emma Swan.

Then Tink had joined the next year, becoming their instant friend and replacing a now hateful Lily. Regina began to date Daniel, and so along came Graham (his best friend). Neal graduated, Emma and Graham became close, and so Lily couldn't help but try and steal both boys. It never worked, of course, and now there's just this immature ongoing war between them all.

Regina isn't having it today, though. "I still do ten times better than you, even when I'm off my game," she retorts, not even turning to face the girl.

"Wanna get some smaller pants so your ass can get even tighter?"

"Wanna shut up before I get some salt to pour into the wounds that I know I can re-open?" She finally turns to glare at Lily, who's sitting with her arms folded.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Regina grits her teeth as the bell rings, and she begins to pack her stuff away. When both her and Lily are about to exit the class, she turns to her and looks into her green eyes. "And you wonder why you're never the one being chosen. Look in the mirror and maybe you'll walk the same way that Neal did," and she shoves the girl and leaves, walking on autopilot to her next class.

Robins class.

She isn't the first to walk in, certainly isn't the last, and she doesn't think that he's even turned from writing on the board since she entered. He's scared to turn around, probably, or avoiding it for his own weird reasons. She sees Lily and Jefferson walking in, no doubt with a new scheme to try and make her life miserable for the rest of the school year, all because of the altercation they had a moment ago.

And she's right, because Jefferson chooses the seat next to her, in the middle row, Lily the seat directly behind.

Regina is relieved when Emma walks in and catches onto what's going on, because she takes the seat next to Lily, followed by Daniel and Graham choosing to sit together just in front of Regina. "Hi," Emma smirks when Regina turns to give her a smile, and Jefferson immediately gives them a glare.

"If you don't mind, I'm trying to work," he hisses, and Emma rolls her eyes.

"We've just walked into the classroom, there's no work yet."

Jefferson isn't deterred by Emma's statement. "I'm sorry, were you speaking to me?"

"You know who I was speaking to," she says back, glancing to a smirking Lily. "Tell your girlfriend to keep that stupid look off her face, otherwise _I_ won't be able to work."

"Excuse me?" and "She's not my girlfriend," Lily and Jefferson say at the same time.

"Could've fooled me," Regina snorts, taking out her copy of 'The Great Gatsby'.

"Can it Mills, I couldn't have fooled you as much as good old Danny boy fooled you when he said those three precious words-"

Regina stands up and slams her book onto the desk, cutting Jefferson off. "Say that again, Hatter, I dare you!"

* * *

Robins methods of calming down have failed him miserably.

As soon as the bell had rung for third period, he'd busied himself with writing the date, his name, the title of the book his class would be studying, questions, answers, and links to studying websites on the board to take his mind off of the fact that Regina was about to come into his classroom - and it made him miss a whole situation that could've been prevented.

He's sure that Regina and her friends are sat with some of those people that he was told not to sit them with. And he hadn't realized that, had been occupied with the board, and now she's stood up, brought his attention right to her livid for... and she's shouting at a smug looking something Hatter.

He can't remember his stupid name.

"Oh I'll say it again Mills, what are you gonna do about it?" He cries, now standing also, and Robin has to deal with this. Has to stop looking at her legs and deal with the twat that's upsetting her.

"Excuse me," he calls, bringing their attention to the front. The second day is the day for trouble, it seems. The class look between their section of the room, and then at Robin. "What's your name?" He asks.

"Jefferson Hatter," he replies, and yeah, that's it, the brother of that troublesome Grace girl.

He looks to Regina then, just to keep up appearances. "And yours?"

"Regina Mills," she replies, hands fisted by her uniform clad side, but her fiery gaze is burning into him.

She's so beautiful.

Don't.

"Right... and," he swallows, moving his eyes to Jefferson. It's easier to act mad looking at him, because he's mad that this guy is upsetting her. "And why are you two fighting in my class?"

"Mills can't keep her mouth shut," he shrugs, and Robin flinches slightly.

"Wrong answer," he replies, nostrils flaring.

Jefferson concedes and meets his eyes. "Her and her friend were disturbing me, and she didn't like it when I told her," he says, sitting back in his seat.

Robin sees Regina exhale, and she follows suit and takes her seat also. "Well, if you two can't sit next to one another then I guess I'll have to treat you like children, and not twelfth graders. Hatter, please swap with the young lady behind you," he says, knowing that it's Regina's friend -Emma.

It takes Jefferson a moment, but he obeys Robin and moves seats, shoving Regina's desk for good measure. Robin ignores it, because he can't be biased here.

At least not out loud.

"Now, I'm sorry for that little interruption, class. I'm Mr Locksley, your Lit teacher. I believe you've been studying Gatsby, one of my personal favorites," he smiles, moving to the drawer of curriculum books. He's doing okay, he hopes. He'd hoped that his first lesson with Regina would be easy, but seemingly life has had other plans for him recently. "Could everybody who hasn't already taken out their copies, please do so now, so we can get started."

They all listen to him, and spend twenty minutes discussing what they've already learnt and analyzing new sections. They aren't the most interactive though, so he tries his best to get them active. "Can anybody tell me what they feel about Daisy, in this chapter?" Judging by the silence and odd low grumble from the class, they're still not up for answering questions. "Fine, we're gonna watch a short clip," he gives in, switching on the monitor next to the black board, and he hopes he can get it to work this time because yesterday he'd struggled when he was with the eleventh graders.

It turns on willingly, and he puts the eight minute clip on and pulls out his phone. He has to... he just _has_ to text her. She can't be sitting there, looking like that, all smart and classy in her uniform whilst he stands up front asking unanswered questions. She can't have arguments with dickheads at the start of his lesson without him making sure she's fine... he can't just pretend his heart isn't pulling him to her.

 _"Just checking everything's okay?"_

He waits thirty seconds, because she's trying to be subtle. She probably doesn't know it's _him_ who's texted her, and so she thinks he'll play teacher and tell her off for it.

She should know that things are different with them.

When she reads the message she looks up at him, eyes finding his is the dim lighting of the room, eyebrows raised. She looks back down at her phone, typing.

 _'Why wouldn't it be?'_

 _'The argument...'_ why is she being snappy?

 _'Your professionalism is slipping, Locksley.'_

Ah, she's salty about what happened between _them_ then. He holds back on the petty retort he has planned. He wants to say something like _'you're the one who fucking lied to me and now we're both alone and heartbroken... oh and by the fucking way can you stop looking so hot sat there in the classroom I'm supposed to be teaching in?'_ but he settles on; _'Sorry if I don't want to lose my job.'_

 _'Not the point.'_ She glances at him after that one, has this 'fuck off' look on her face that makes him grit his teeth.

 _'You're the one who didn't tell me you were a student.'_

 _'Would've taken an idiot not to work it out, let alone a teacher.'_

 _'So you're mad at_ me _that we ended then?'_

 _'Mad that we ended - not mad at you. Sorry if it seems that way, I'm just not in the mood and it hurts to talk to you...'_

Oh. She's upset. He should've realized that _of course_ she's just as affected as him with all of this. He feels awful to be ripping stitches from her healing wounds.

 _'I'm sorry Regina. You know I wish that... you know. I just want to say-'_ he's halfway through typing when that brat from earlier calls out to him.

"Sir, Mills is on her phone," Jefferson says, pointing to where Regina is sat with her mouth gaping. He wants to strangle him.

Robin closes his eyes, counts to three, and then looks at Regina. "Phone away please, Regina," he says, and Jefferson's satisfied look grates on him, so he adds; "nobody likes a snitch, Hatter," and the class snicker in response. He's sat behind his desk, to the right of the monitor, and his computer screen is in the way so nobody can see that _he's_ on _his_ phone, otherwise they might work out (doubtfully) that him and Regina are texting one another.

He leaves the reply, though. Decides that maybe they can talk after classic because he needs to be alone with her for a moment. He's going through withdrawals, and he needs a dose of her. He's decided it just now, because she's just bitten her lip and he can't stand it. He needs to talk to her _alone_.

 _Soon._

And he does just that when the bell goes. Tells her to stay behind after because he needs to talk about _'arguments and phone usage'_ in his classroom. The rest of the class leave, her friends telling her that her usual seat will be waiting in the canteen, and then they're off too.

"I'm not actually about to be told about my behavior, am I?" She asks teasingly but with no humor, picking up her purse and making her way over to where he's stood behind his desk. He scoffs and walks past her, pulling the blinds and locking his door, and then turning to look at her.

"Far from it," he rasps, and she raises a perfect eyebrow. "I just want to - need to - be near you for a moment." He takes steps towards her, and puts his hands on her arms, running them up and down the black school jumper she has on. Her breathing goes shallow, eyes growing dark and he's drawn in. It hasn't even been a week since he last slept with her, but he needs her.

"Your professionalism is slipping," she throws her words back at him in a whisper, but this time they're different. This time she's not telling him like she's mad about it; she's telling him like she wants it. Her sweet, fruity perfume is intoxicating, and the way her eyes flicker to his lips pulls him closer. In fact, they're so close he can feel her breath on his chin - can feel her body heat radiating off of her.

"Shut up," he replies, giving in and shoving his lips to hers and catching them in a heated kiss. He shouldn't be doing this. Had promised himself just yesterday that he'd stay away and that he needed to leave her but he _can't_. It just took this one lesson. This one hour of being _so close_ to her but not being able to touch her and he's already lost his resolve.

She's kissing him back full force. His tongue is moving languidly over hers, her hands are roaming his torso like they usually do, and his hands have found their way to her waist. He nips at her bottom lip, and she's moaning into his mouth, sending shivers down his spine. He detaches their lips and moves to her neck, kissing and sucking and drawing out moan after moan after glorious _moan_ that she lets loose.

He starts pushing her backwards into his desk, and her ass is moving papers as she sits on it, arms clasping around his neck. His hands are up her skirt, running over her smooth leg - and he finds her stockings, pulls at them, lips moving back to her lips. This is what he needs, this is what he wants, and even if it's wrong it _feels_ right, he needs to do this and clearly so does she. He's completely consumed in this kiss, he can't wait to take her here, on this desk, it's all he can think about right now. Her. This. Them.

And suddenly there's a knock at the door.

"Fuck," he hisses, pulling away from her and widening his eyes. His foggy brain clears, and he analyses the situation. She's on his desk, her uniform is a mess and her hair is a mess, there are papers all over the place, there's a love bite or two on her neck and they're _alone_. The door is locked. The blinds are pulled.

They're toast- no; _he's_ toast. He knows how this looks, it looks how it is, and they've been caught and it's only day two...

He should hurry up and think of something. It's been ten seconds since the door knocked, and he's sure that stalling is only making it worse. He looks to Regina, who has an equally worried look on her face, but then she schools her features. "Follow my lead."

"Huh?" He whispers, panic consuming his every thought - but she's standing up, and then she goes to a desk and shoves a chair over. What on Earth-

"I don't _care_ if I've messed up your classroom, Mr Locksley! You can't just confiscate my phone!" She cries as the door knocks once more.

"Mr Locksley, is everything okay?" He recognizes the voice as Katherine's - Golds assistant from yesterday.

He gets what Regina is doing, though, and he follows suit. "How dare you, Miss Mills?" He shouts nervously - not trusting his poor acting skills to give him away. She nods at him and he walks over to the door as Regina adjusts her collar to cover the hickey. "Y- you have thrown important papers from my, uh, desk, and you're acting like a petulant child!" He opens to door to a worried Katherine, and she storms in, analyzing the room.

"What happened in here?" She asks, looking at the desk, Regina, and the fallen chair. Regina has an angry look on her face, and she's good. Really good.

He's nervous, he's shaking, he's breathing more erratically than humanly healthy, both because of their recent actions and the fact that they were almost caught. He doesn't know how she's thinking coherently, because he certainly isn't, but then again he's also trying to hide the huge hard on that bulging through his pants.

"The new teacher thinks he has the right to take my phone!" She says to Katherine, pointing at Robin.

Katherine sighs and gives Robin a knowing look.

"This one's always trouble, Mr Locksley. In fact we have Grace Hatter in with Mr Gold now for her attitude, I believe you taught her everything you know," she raises an eyebrow at Regina and _ah_ , that explains the sass. She turns to Robin now, handing him some papers. "That's the stuff to help you set up your teacher system _properly_ ," she explains, and then, "Can you follow me, please Regina?" She orders more than asks, and Regina picks up her purse and follows her out of the classroom, blowing him a kiss to him behind Katherine's back on the way.

What the fuck just happened?


	5. Grade Idiot

_This chapter is a little shorter, but expect some angst at the end. #sorrynotsorry._

 _All mistakes are mine - enjoy!_

* * *

She's sitting outside the headmaster's office, ass digging into the hard, uncomfortable seat, hands fiddling in her lap - nervously biting her lip. She's been waiting for at least twenty minutes, listening to the chatter of students walking through the corridors at lunch time - hearing the pitter patter of footsteps

They'd almost been caught.

Their stupid moment of weakness had almost resulted in the ruining of both of their lives - his more than hers. She doesn't care about taking the fall for him earlier, she doesn't care about detention or meetings with the headmaster. She's been here before - in trouble, that is. It's nothing new. That doesn't mean she isn't scared, though. What if they'd been caught? What would they have done? They'd have-

"Regina Mills," she hears her name before she hears the door open with a creak, Gold's Scottish accent pronouncing her name in a unique way. He sticks his head out of the door, disapproving - yet unsurprised look on his face. "In."

She licks her lips nervously and stands, picking up her purse as she does. He holds the door open for her until she's in the room.

It hasn't changed. Still has that old musky smell and the squeaky floorboard to the left of the door. The books are still on their shelves in the exact same place they've been since she first saw the inside of the 'scary' headmasters office. His grand, expensive looking desk is still standing sturdy, files and books placed neatly above it. "I'd apologize for you having to wait, but I'm not sorry. It's lunch time, and I hear you've been giving the new teacher a bit of trouble," he sighs, taking a seat and indicating for her to take one. She takes the seat willingly, placing her bag by her feet and adjusting her skirt so it's covering her upper thighs.

"Well... he tried to confiscate my phone," she shrugs.

He scoffs, shakes his head and then leans forward. "Why did he try to do that?"

"I was on it while he was teaching."

"And you don't think he has the right to take it? You've had your cell taken before - you've never had a bitch fit about it, excuse my French," he says, looking amused by the whole thing. It irks her.

"Yes... phone usage always results in confiscation. I just didn't see fit to hand my phone over to a practical stranger," she reasons. Although he isn't a stranger. Not even close.

He's dreamy eyed, kind hearted, smart ass, Mr perfect-

"I'm going to tell you one thing, Regina," Gold starts, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms, the gold ring on his scrawny finger glinting right in her eye line. "You will cause no more trouble. You will have no immature tantrums in my school. You will not argue with teachers, you will not step out of line and I will most certainly not hear a peep out of you. Do you understand?"

She scoffs and sits back in her seat, copying his movements. She may have been the one in the "wrong" and she may cause trouble more often than she should, but she is not the submissive kind and she is certainly not the kind to be told what to do. One thing she hates is not being in control. "H.M. Gold, I'm gonna say one thing," she smirks, raising a challenging eyebrow. "I'll argue where an argument is due, I'll step out of line if I see fit because I won't be pushed around," she hates it. She hates being pushed around. She takes it from her mother - nobody else. "It's almost the end of the year and-"

"And you'll be out before school ends if you carry on," he snaps back - and wow, that's a slap to the face. She cannot be kicked out. Her mother will kill her, her future will be ruined, all of these years of school will be for nothing. "Don't try me."

How is she supposed to respond to that? She isn't control anymore... _Just give in Regina. Let him have this round._ She should. This was only meant to be a quick telling off, just to cover up what had actually been happening in that classroom. Pride be damned... she needs to get out of here as quickly as possible.

It takes a few moments of him staring her down for her to concede, because she really should just give up this one time. "Alright, H.M. Gold... I'm sorry. You won't hear a thing from me," she licks her lips once more, moving her eyes in any direction but his. "Can I go now?"

From the corner of her eye she sees a smile grow on his smarmy face. "Sure," he rasps, and then he points to the door. "Thank you for coming, Regina. I hope there won't be a next time."

"Feelings mutual," she mumbles, standing from the worn leather chair and making her way to the door. She gives him one last glance before leaving the room, where she bumps right into something with an _'oomf'_.

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry!" The familiarly soft voice of her step sister burns through her ears and raises her agitation levels massively. _Does she have to annoy her everywhere?_

"For goodness sake Mary Margaret," she mutters, backing away from the younger girl and straightening her blazer out. "Watch where you're going."

The girl looks over Regina nervously, and then bends down to pick up the papers she's dropped that Regina hadn't noticed before. "I uh... I'm sorry. I just..." for a moment Regina just watches her helplessly grabbing her things from the floor as quickly as she can, but something in her feels bad so she bends down to help her out. "I'm not having the best day so I was thinking about other things and-" she stops talking suddenly, standing up.

It's only now that Regina notices tears streaming down her face. Her cheeks are flushed, her long raven locks (much like Regina's, annoyingly) are pulled into a messy ponytail, and her bottom lip is quivering.

Well, this is awkward. She has no idea how to handle this situation...

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't be crying. It's silly of me really," she cries loudly, hanging her head.

Regina puts a somewhat... comforting hand on Mary Margaret's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze, before putting on the best sympathetic voice she can. "No, it's... fine. What's uh, up?" She asks, looking to make sure nobody's around before putting an arm around her shoulder and beginning to walk down the corridor.

"I don't want to bother you, Regina. I know you and I don't exactly get along," she sniffles.

That's true... but Regina isn't heartless. She doesn't exactly want to leave her step sister (no matter how much she dislikes her) crying in the hallway alone. Nobody deserves that. "Mary, just tell me what's up. I'm here, walking with my arm around your shoulder. It's already weird. Might as well lay your issues on me too... God knows I wish I could."

"It's David," she blurts, throwing her hands in the air and knocking Regina's arm off in the process. "He isn't talking to me, and on top of that, he's been talking to Anna a lot and-"

"Okay, slow down," Regina stops their walk and turns to face her annoying step sister. "First off, don't let guys treat you like shit. If he's been fooling around with someone else you need to drop him! He shouldn't be ignoring you."

Regina's been there before, it isn't nice. It causes stupid heartache, rash decisions to go out drinking, resulting in flings with teachers and- and this isn't about her. It's about Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret sniffles and wipes some tears, before looking down at her knotted hands. "You're right I just..." she whispers, but trails off.

"You just..."

"I love him," she smiles fondly, and well that's a shocker. Regina knew they'd been seeing each other for a while, and she knows they liked each other a while before that, but _love_ is a little more complicated. Love is something she's all to familiar with also, and at the moment it seems like it's just making everything worse.

"You do?" She gasps, looking at the younger girl sympathetically. She nods in response. "Well then it makes it worse if he's making you feel awful. He doesn't deserve you, and you shouldn't put up with it."

"But I love him, Regina!" She emphasizes, a little chuckle in her tone now. "He may be making me feel awful... but that may be me just jumping to conclusions. I don't know what's going on with him, he doesn't owe me an explanation, but my mind wonders. He's always been good friends with Anna, so that could just be them being them," she says, probably more to convince herself. "No matter if it's hard right now, I won't just drop him. I'll wait, and be understanding and he can tell me what's going on when he feels because... I love him."

Slap in the face number two of the day.

She shouldn't have to stay away from Robin just because things are complicated (understatement), and she certainly shouldn't give up on what they have. A few weeks of sex turned into more, and she can't help that, but she _can_ help what happens now, and maybe she should just stop overthinking everything and just go for it. Tell him.

She hopes- no no, she _knows_ he feels the same.

Thank goodness for Mary Margaret's weirdly contradictory situation. One minute she's in tears, the next she's blaming on her own insecurities and making relatable sense.

"You're right. You are so right," she smiles, turning to see the amused yet confused look on Mary Margaret's face. "You love him... and that means you don't just give up because you're upset about something. You gotta do what your heart tells you."

"Yeah, that's it," she nods. Regina reaches out and grabs her hand, looking her deeply in the eyes. "Regina, what-"

"Thank you, Mary. Thank you!" she exclaims, pulling the baffled girl in for a hug. "Good luck with David," she adds, before pulling away and rushing off in the direction of the staircase.

She has to tell him! Tell him how she feels and then they can get through all of this. They can stay quiet - she only has four months left of school. They can keep it between them, and they can work out, because she wants to be with him.

Because them being together would be _everything_.

* * *

 _She wakes to the smell of food. She's huddled warmly under the duvet, sunlight blinking through the curtains, just a dream away from being perfectly content. She'd be completely content if she was snuggled in his warm, safe arms, his hands drifting through her hair comfortingly._

 _Although she can't complain if he's making breakfast, and from what she can tell it's sizzling bacon, warm coffee and... pancakes? She stretches and groans, before blinking her eyes open and glancing to the open bedroom door._

 _Definitely pancakes. She can hear his poor attempt at flipping them from up here, and judging by his groan and that slapping noise, he's just dropped one._

 _She chuckles fondly. She thinks it's cute that he likes to cook breakfast. She's only known him for two weeks, but she's grown rather accustomed to waking up like this. Although usually it's with him, not without._

 _Still, she stretches once more and reaches over the side of the bed, finding the shirt he'd thrown there last night and pulling it over her head. She then gets up and heads to the staircase._

 _When she gets down to the kitchen she can smell the food more strongly, and she can see Robin walking around in nothing but sweatpants, his back muscles flexing as he opens up the fridge. He doesn't know she's stood there in nothing but his shirt, sporting hickeys on her throat and collarbone from last night, smirk on her face. It's cute that he's oblivious to her standing there. People are most interesting when they think nobody is watching._

 _Although now she can smell a hint of burning in the air, and when she glances over at the smoking pan she realizes that maybe some people are freaking stupid when nobody is watching._ _"Robin!" she exclaims, rushing over to the pan which holds a now burning pancake, making Robin turn from the fridge that his head was just stuck in and run over._

 _"Crap... I only left it for a second," he hisses, turning off the hob and pulling the pan from her grasp. She can't help but giggle, but it earns her a warning look from him. "Hey, I was doing well," he mocks offence._

 _"Oh yeah? How many are left? You dropped one, right? And this one's burnt. How many are left, mr 'I was doing well'?" She chuckles. He turns to the table which she is only now noticing is set with three plates, two with bacon, one with a small stack of pancakes, and two steaming mugs._

 _"Three... but there's still some mixture in the bowl," he points, his topless form walking over to her. He holds her waist and kisses her on the cheek quickly, before walking past her and picking up the milk he'd been taking from the fridge. "Morning, by the way."_

 _She leans her side on the counter and dips a finger into the bowl of pancake mix, before licking it off and admiring his ass. "Morning."_

 _"Can you open the window to let the smoke out?" He asks, pouring the milk into the mugs as she hums an 'okay' and opens the window above the sink. "Thanks."_

 _"No... thank you. This looks delicious," she smirks, walking over to the table and taking a seat. "I'll probably have to rush off right after breakfast, though," she says, taking a sip of coffee. "Remember I told you about my step sister? She's starting riding lessons today and..."_

 _"And you have to go?" He groans, pouting at her._

 _"Yeah. But I can come over tomorrow if you're not busy?" She doesn't know if he's busy. He doesn't tell her much. Just asks when she wants to come over, or lets her know when he needs a little cheering up after something with his ex wife. She doesn't tell him much either, apart from when she needs to get something off her chest. Just stuff about her family - stuff about her ex._

 _"Actually I have a job interview tomorrow," he admits after a mouthful of bacon, and she raises her eyebrows. He definitely hadn't told her that._

 _"Really? What job?"_

 _He chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't wanna jinx it... just wish me luck," he winks from across the table, and suddenly she feels his foot slide up her leg from underneath it._

 _She bites her lip. "Good luck," she giggles, nudging his foot a little. "Don't start something we can't finish..." she cuts into a pancake and takes a bite._

 _He lets groans and licks his lips. "I wish you didn't have to go."_

 _Her heart warms at his admission. He wants her to stay... wants to do things with her. "I'm sorry. I told you my mother is a demanding bitch. If I don't go then I'll probably get put under house arrest and then I won't be able to uh..." she bites her lip more seductively, and winks at him before forking more pancake into her mouth._

 _"Don't do that!" he groans in a child like voice, and she can't help but giggle. "Fucking tease."_

 _"It's what I do best," she mutters, "and these pancakes are actually really good."_

 _"It's what I do best," he mimics her, before grimacing and shaking his head. "Even though we both know that there is something I do much better."_

 _"Oh there is?" She laughs._

 _"Yes... and you know that when what_ you _do best and what_ I _do best is put together, it's everything," he smiles, and her heart warms even more. She loves these simple moments. And she loves getting away from her stressful life. She enjoys spending the night with him (the nights she tells her mother that she's staying with Emma) and she enjoys the mornings just as much. She hates having to rush off, and so maybe..._

 _"Maybe we do have time for some fun..."_

* * *

A watched clock never moves.

A watched clock prolongs time, and prolonged time creates thinking space, and thinking space increases doubts, worries and fears. He's been watching the damn clock since she was taken from the room, and each second seems to be stretching an achingly long time.

And he's been thinking, too. He'd come so close to being caught. His life down the drain. All because of his weak amount of restraint. He isn't a teenager, he shouldn't be going around acting like a reckless fool with a practical _kid_.

Regina.

Regina lied and now he's in too deep. He needs to stop. To snap out of it. Jesus, it's day fucking two and he's already fucked up.

He fucked her, he fell for her along the way, he needs to get over it. He needs to let go. He needs-

 _Knock knock._

His head shoots to the left, eyes finding the opening door. His heart drops when she walks in with a smile on her face. "Robin," she says, seemingly out of breath. She lets herself in, throwing her bag onto the floor and marching up to his desk. "I know what you said... I know what _we_ said. But I can't just drop everything and pretend I don't know you. Pretend I'm not in love with you."

His heart drops so low that it's off the scale, and he closes his eyes, inhaling slowly. This can't be happening. "Regina, look-"

"Because I am," she whispers, cutting him off. "I am in love with you."

She smiling so hopefully, stood in front of his desk, wearing her heart on her sleeve. He hates himself. Hates this situation, because he should feel happy that she's confirming what he already knew. A few days ago, he would've been over the moon. Now... now things are different.

"Robin?" She asks, furrowing her brow, curious about his silence. He stands then, and sighs again before looking her right in the eyes. "Robin?" Her tone is more desperate this time, and she tilts her head to the side as he finds her hands over the desk. "We can work it out, right? We can-"

"Regina stop-"

"No," she cries, taking a cautious step back, tears suddenly shining in her eyes. "No, don't."

"I'm sorry, Regina. It's too dangerous. I'll lose my job. I'll lose _everything_!" He grits his teeth, quickly moving around his desk to stand in front of her. She looks like she's just been slapped in the face, and it hurts him.

"Everything?" She parrots with a crack in her voice, tears finally leaving her eyes. "Robin I just told you that I love you! Does that not mean anything?"

His heart aches. Of course it means something. He hates himself for doing this, but he can't encourage a relationship with her now that he knows what the costs are. "Regina, look... you understood yesterday, you agreed." He's desperate to get her to understand that they just _can't_.

"And then today you almost screwed me in your fucking classroom! Talk about mixed messages!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No! You should have, because it's what you want right? It's what you wanted? I am what you wanted, am I not?" She shouts, and he has to step closer to get her to lower her voice. He knows lunch is almost over, and people will be starting to pile into the hallways soon.

He reaches for her delicate hand and takes it, and her breathing becomes more rapid as she searches his eyes for something. Her eyebrows are furrowed, her forehead is creased, tears are streaming down her face and he can't help but resent the fact that he's the cause of it. "Right?" She asks, so doubtful now.

He knows how he feels, but saying it now will only make it worse. It won't do any good. "Robin... you love me too right?"

 _Yes! Yes he does._ He wants so badly to say it, so badly to keep her. But he knows he has to let her go, because his job is on the line - his future is on the line too. He can't just throw that away just because he's fallen in love. Can't just give everything up just because he wants to be with her. He can't be weak right now just because she's stood there, crying in her uniform, professing her love for him. He can't ruin his life for her. And so maybe he does love her, but...

"No. No I don't." He doesn't know how he managed to utter the words. He still doesn't quite remember the moment he decided to say them. He just knows that they're lies. Utter lies. He doesn't mean it. He loves her.

She pulls away from him instantly, the color draining from her face. "You're lying," she says in a low voice, and those tears must be really clouding her vision. There are so many... and she's so beautiful. A beautiful mess. A beautiful mistake.

Not a mistake.

"Robin you're lying!" She says louder, hitting his chest, and he has to grab her wrist to stop her doing it a second time.

"I'm sorry! It was just a stupid fling after my divorce. It helped numb the pain for a bit, that's all. I didn't mean to drag you so far into it and-"

"Stop it! Just shut up!" She cries over him, pulling away from his grasp and wiping her eyes.

They're silent for a few minutes after that. He tries not to look over at the bloody clock to see how long it's been. Tries not to watch every achingly long second go by, where she's just breathing heavily, and he's stood there, heart thumping, jaw clenched.

"I'm so stupid," she mutters after a while, breaking his silence and his need to look at the clock.

No, she isn't stupid. She's far from it. He hates this.

"I'm just a stupid, naive teenager. I shouldn't have thought that a few weeks of... whatever that was, could lead to love," she sniffles, picking up her bag. "I should've known that things like that don't happen in real life." He can't even respond. Can't tell her how wrong she is. If he offers her comforting words, it'll mix the message he's trying to give. He needs to just let her go. "I'll uh... I'll still keep this between us," she mumbles, brushing past him and to the door. All he can do is nod. "Guess I'll see you in class on Thursday."

He doesn't turn to face her. Just hears the door open, and then she's gone, and he's left alone with his thoughts and a ticking clock.


	6. Words from the Heart

_This is such a quick update, but I couldn't stop writing. Just a quick note: the flashback in this chapter is set the night before the first chapter (the night before they're laying in bed together) so it's actually only about six days ago in their present time. Also, **the poems in this are actual poems by actual poets - I don't own them** lol. This is quite a long chapter so bare with me, because a lot of it is filler stuff. Not gonna lie, it gets hella mushy and emo at the end - don't hate Robin though plz cos he's just a soft, sad burrito._

 _All mistakes are mine - enjoy x_

* * *

"Regina," Emma snaps her out of her trance the next day at lunch, putting a hand on her friends arm. "Regina did you hear what I said?" She frowns.

They're at their usual table with Daniel and Graham, each with a plate of food in front of them along with a can of some form of soda. She's been distant for most of the day, and she's glad that she doesn't have literature on Wednesdays. She doesn't think she could handle the embarrassment.

"No, sorry. What were you saying?" she asks, shaking her head and meeting her friends eyes. Emma eyes her a little, trying to read into what she's thinking.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm just tired. I took the bus with Mary this morning," she sighs. It isn't a lie, but it's certainly not the only thing on her mind right now. "What were you saying before?" She says again, wanting to get back into normal conversation.

"We were gonna plan a surprise party for Tink for her birthday next week... are you in for helping out?" Emma repeats after a moment more of eyeing Regina. All of her friends know that she's the best party planner, and she's also the one with all the money, which is probably why they're asking her now.

"Uh..." she starts, moving her eyes around the table to look at her friends. "Sure," she shrugs, "What were you thinking about doing?"

Emma smirks and the boys high five each other, before Emma pulls out her notepad. "So, I was thinking about having it at your place-"

" _My_ house?" She cuts her friend off, "no. My mother won't allow it."

"Reginaaaa," Emma whines. "Your house is the nicest and biggest out of all of ours and-"

"No!" She repeats, glaring at Emma. It's awkwardly quiet for a moment, and Regina almost regrets shouting at her friend, but she has good reason. She's heartbroken and she's stressed. She can't even rant to anybody because she'd promised not to tell anyone about Robin. Even though he embarrassed her. Even though he let her say the three words that don't come out easily for her (especially after what Daniel did) and then dumped her like a piece of trash. "Sorry..."

"Whatever," Emma grabs a pen from her pocket and crosses something in her notepad out. "How about we go to Grahams then? Your place is nice and your dad is chill. He'll go spend the night with his girlfriend right?"

Graham shrugs. "Sure... If I tell him I'm having _some_ friends over."

"Yeah just how many people are you inviting?" Regina frowns at the blonde.

"Uhm..." she bites her lip and squints at the notepad.

"Quit stalling, Em," Daniel groans, "what, you gonna invite the whole school?"

She snaps her head in his direction and scowls. "No! Don't be ridiculous."

Regina rolls her eyes and pushes her pasta around her plate. It's long cold right now and she's hardly eaten any. "Just say Emma."

"Just... the whole year," she grimaces.

" _No!_ " All three friends shout in unison.

"Okay, just hear me out," she cries, and Graham and Daniel raise their eyebrows expectantly. "We know Tink is off until next Wednesday, right? We hand flyers out in class tomorrow - that's the quickest way for word to get around without individual texts. We put that it's a surprise, so nobody tells Tink, and then next week-"

"Right, and when somebody leaves a flyer somewhere, or puts something online-"

"There aren't going to be flyers lying around until next Wednesday, are there Daniel?" She snaps, "And Tink is off on work experience at a _camp_. They took her phone. Why do you think she hasn't been on Snapchat? Duh!"

"Okay so that sorts her finding out. How do we get her there?" Graham asks.

Emma smirks. "That's the easy part. We just tell her we're gonna have a drink at yours. The five of us."

"And who is supplying us with the alcohol?" Daniel pesters, and he's even annoying Regina now.

"Emma and I have fake ID's. I'll pay for it all since Emma's the planner, Graham is the host and you're the... irritating question asker" she says, scooting her chair backwards and standing up, grabbing her tray. "You guys coming out to the field?"

They all mutter in a agreement and she turns around to walk to the nearest bin, only to be stood in front of Robin Locksley. He's a few feet away, but he's looking in her direction holding an empty tray. "Sorry," he clears his throat, and steps aside so she can walk to the trash can.

"It's fine," she mutters, walking to it as Emma stands at her side and looks at him. He gives them a nod before walking away to the dirty tray counter.

"Oh great, it's Locksley," Emma rolls her eyes, throwing the remainder of her food in the trash with a thump. "He troubling you again? I mean he managed to make you miss lunch yesterday getting you in trouble with Gold."

"No. He was just putting his food away," she sighs, concentrating on scooping out her cold food.

"Shame we have to hate him. He's hot," Emma says distantly, turning to watch him now that he's across the canteen.

"We don't hate him. I'm the one who kicked off," she reasons defensively, because she could never hate him.

"Come on Regina, you don't take shit from anybody. What's wrong with you?" Emma cries. "You can't just let him get away with getting you into trouble. You don't let anyone do that. Least of all new teachers who don't even know you-"

"Well he does know me!" She yells to get Emma to shut up, and then she instantly regrets it. Emma's blue eyes widen and she puts a hand on her friends elbow.

"What?" She asks.

"Nothing," Regina shakes her hand off and walks to drop her tray off and leave the room. Emma follows quickly on her heals.

"What do you mean he knows you? You met him in class yesterday along with everyone else," she says, confusion laced in her tone. "Regina?"

"What!?" She cries as they make their way through the bare corridor, aware that the boys are probably outside since they've never been ones to clear their trays.

"Does he work with your mother? Are you related?"

"Ew," Regina stops by the back doors and turns to face Emma. "No, we aren't related. That would be... awkward."

Emma folds her arms and eyes her best friend. "Then how do you know each other?"

"He tutored me!" Regina blurts, not knowing how she came up with _that_ one, but thanking her spontaneous mind for the convincing excuse.

"What?"

Regina licks her lips. "Yeah... you know how my mother always gets us tutors to keep us busy during school breaks? Well she hired Ro- Mr Locksley."

"Right," Emma frowns, "and that took you so long to say because..?"

 _Come on, come up with something._

"Because it's..." Where are her quick thinking excuses now? "Because I... had a crush on him," she swallows.

It's not exactly a _lie_...

Emma snorts. "So what? Did he turn you down? Jheez Regina, you do know how to be dramatic," she scoffs, turning to exit the building to the field. Regina tries not to let Emma's comment stab her in the heart.

It does, anyway. Because he _did_ turn her down, and it wasn't even just a crush. It was almost... Almost-

"Regina!" Emma calls her name, and she realizes her friend has begun walking ahead. "Come on!"

She tries to take a step forward but her body betrays her, wishing to go somewhere private for the floodgates she knows are coming. "I'm gonna go to the restroom quickly," she calls back to Emma in a wobbly voice, and without waiting for a response she wanders back into the empty school halls.

She makes it all the way to the nearest girls toilets before she breaks down and cries, fist gripping the sink for something to keep her standing.

She's so stupid. She's so embarrassed.

She's so _heartbroken_.

It's all fucked up. The whole thing. She should've stuck with the 'it's over' thing on Monday. She shouldn't have kissed him back yesterday. She shouldn't have thought that he'd love her back. She's a _child_. A child with stupid fantasies and obviously a weak heart. Now she's seemingly crying herself to sleep every night, using layers of make up to cover her puffy eyes. The last time she'd been this torn over a guy was a mere few months ago, and it makes her feel pathetic. Love makes her weak. Mother has always said that love is trouble. Love distracts you from your goals. Live first, love later.

Well she was stupid to think things were different for her. He made her feel safe - he made her happy in such a short time. She was in a shitty place for a while and suddenly, he made it better. But she needs to remember that he doesn't feel the same. He told her so. It isn't fair that she's putting him in this awkward situation.

She lets sobs wrack her body for a few moments longer. Lets tears stream from her eyes, lets her cheeks ache, lets her stomach pull her lower and lower until she's sat on the grimy restroom floor. She pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around her legs, planting her face into her lap. She feels sick, her whole body aching from what is only supposed to be a broken heart. It was never meant to be this big a deal, but she can't help but be crushed at the thought that he doesn't love her. At least if he loved her they'd both be in equal pain. At least if he felt the same, the poems would've been about her. They aren't about her. She was stupid to think so. "Stop it Regina," she whispers in a quiet sob. "It's over. You lose. Now stop it."

"Is someone in here?" she hears a quiet voice call from the door, and for the first time ever she's grateful that there is a corner from the door to the sink. Before whoever it is has the chance to walk further into the room, Regina stands and turns on the tap, splashing her face with water. "Oh, it's you."

 _Oh_ , it's _her_. Lily.

"What? Surprised to see me in school?" Regina asks sarcastically, keeping her head down. Lily lingers for a moment, and Regina shoots her head up about to snap at the girl when she sees a strange expression on her face. Her eyes are soft, and she's twiddling her thumb, head tilted at an angle to look at Regina. "What?"

Lily jumps and blinks, before averting her gaze away. "Nothing," she mumbles awkwardly. "I was just... going to the bathroom." She gestures to the row of cubicles.

"Okay. Well go," Regina shrugs, pulling tissues from the dispenser and patting her face.

Lily moves to a cubicle, but stops before closing the door. "I'm not stupid."

"Excuse me?" Regina turns to face her ex friend.

"I said I'm not stupid. I know you were crying," Lily admits, not a hint of malice in her tone.

Regina scoffs. So now Lily has something on her. _'Tough, bad ass Regina Mills was crying alone in the restroom'_. "Well done," Regina rolls her eyes, hearing how her nose sounds a little blocked. She turns to the mirror and looks over at her puffy eyes and pink cheeks. She's going to need to top up on the make up,

"This is where I came every day after I caught Neal with Emma Swan," she says, a little wobble in her voice. Regina meets her eyes in the mirror as she's stood almost directly behind her. "I cried more than I should've."

"And why are you telling me this?" Regina snaps. She hates this girl, right? She hasn't got time to listen to her bullshit.

Lily shrugs. "Just thought I'd say I understand-"

"You understand _nothing_ ," Regina spits, turning on her school shoe clad heal to face the shocked looking girl. "You had a ninth grade crush on somebody who wouldn't even look twice at you! Get the fuck over it and stop crying about it already."

She's taking her anger out on Lily, she knows that. But she can't help it. She's mad at being fucked over, and now Lily wants to act all girly and relatable like they're best fucking friends?

No way.

"You lost some guy who didn't even know you liked him to your best friend; boo fucking hoo. You wanna talk about having things to cry about? I'll give you something to cry about!" Regina seethes, and Lily's face changes. Her shock changes to anger, and Regina sees her hands begin to shake at her side as she takes a step forward.

"Once a bitch, always a bitch," she growls, nose to nose with Regina, and Regina has to try not to act affected. It doesn't help that the girl is at least a foot taller than Regina, and it also doesn't help that her breath smells like stale bread and self pity. "I feel sorry for you, because nobody is going to love somebody as heartless as you. Whoever you're sobbing about now is fucking lucky, because they obviously got out while they still could."

 _Slap._

Regina's hand is left with a harsh sting, and Lily's head is snapped to the side, angry red mark across her cheek.

The suspense in the air is thick, so thick she feels like she's choking on anticipation. Waiting for Lily to turn around and give as good as she got.

She doesn't, though. She simply steps back, holding her face. "You're a train wreck, Mills." She says, and then she turns on her heal and exits the toilet without even going to the bathroom, leaving Regina stood there shaking with anger and some form of shame. Shame because none of that needed to happen. She isn't even the violent type, she's just mad at everyone and everything.

So mad. So heartbroken. So stupid.

* * *

"You got any more of these?" John asks with a mouthful, sat in Robins desk chair. They decided to spend the remainder of this lunch in his classroom, it got too crowded in the canteen and they'd been cooking mac and cheese today, which John apparently despises the smell of.

"No, I only brought one pack in," Robin indicates to the Oreo packet that John is currently finishing, his thick fingers reaching in to grab the last one. John grunts in disappointment, and Robin sips his bitter coffee. "I'll bring more in tomorrow."

"Hmm," John grunts again, spinning a little in the chair. Robin is leaning on his desk, a position he knows will leave him with a stiff back later on. He's not really concentrating on the ache he's sure to suffer later, though. He's focusing on _not_ focusing on Regina. He saw her once, earlier, and he has class with her tomorrow - which won't be easy. As much as what he had to do hurts and has been plaguing his mind all night, he's happy to at least have gotten the importance through to her. As hard as it is to stay away from her- "Mills seemed mad at you today."

Damn Johns observation. Damn him for bringing up this stupid subject.

"Uh... She got in a bit of trouble with me yesterday," he stutters, suddenly on fuller alert and defensive. He doesn't want to give himself away.

"What kinda trouble?" John asks innocently, lifting the plastic lid of his coffee cup and dipping the remainder of the last Oreo into it. Robin adjusts himself into a position that's more comfortable for him - he'll need that if he's going to have an uncomfortable conversation with John, and then he sighs deeply.

"Just..." he can't exactly remember what her excuse had been. She'd pretended to kick off because he... he... _ah_! He tried to take her phone. "She was on her phone in class and-"

"Say no more, my friend," John puts a hand up in understanding.

Robin turns to the burly, bearded man and frowns. "Is that something that happens often?"

John laughs. "No... not the phone thing. It's just when you call her out on something she can't resist an argument. I don't know how her parents put up with her. In fact, knowing Cora Mills and her harsh personality I can kinda understand why her daughter came out like that."

The comment grates on Robin because he knows how hard things are at home for her. He knows that she isn't really an awful, argumentative child. She just likes having control over things because she can't be in control at home. She needs somewhere where she can have her way. Where she doesn't get pushed around. "Maybe she's just misunderstood," he reasons.

"Or maybe she's a spoiled brat," he counter argues. This conversation is getting more and more annoying by the minute. "Her step father is Leopold Blanchard - he owns like a real estate business. Lucky _his_ daughter isn't a bitch, she's just annoying."

"Regina doesn't seem spoiled," Robin shrugs, and then his eyes widen. "From... uhm... what I gathered yesterday. She just seems short tempered." John doesn't seem to notice his slip up, he simply grabs the empty pack of Oreos and scrunches it up into a ball before throwing it (very poorly) at the bin.

"Her dad was Spanish or something so that's probably why," he stands with a low grunt and walks over to the packet on the floor. "Oh that's another thing - don't mention her father. He died a few years back."

Robin rolls his eyes and bites his tongue. He can't exactly come out and say that she'd told all of this to him one night, wrapped in his sheets and snuggled to his chest. Back when _time_ was their only problem, and _time together_ was like a dream.

"That's awful," Robin acknowledges.

"Yeah, it was a hard time for her. Especially because her mother remarried only a few months later. That's kinda when her attitude got bad," John throws the wrapper away properly and walks back to his seat. Robin may know the basics of what happened, but he doesn't know much about how she handled it. He doesn't really know this side of her at all either. "That's why she kinda gets away with a lot. We don't treat her special or anything, it's just we handle her differently. Kid argues back? Instant detention. Regina argues back? Quiet word with her after lesson - or we let Gold handle her. He's kinda the only one that she doesn't give _all too much_ mouth to."

Robin nods and fiddles with his cooling coffee cup. He doesn't really need to be told how to handle her, because he knows her on a different level already, but it's interesting to see how others handle and see her. He isn't too happy with the way she's perceived, but he's at least glad that they handle her well. "That's good to know."

"Yeah well... hopefully she'll warm to you eventually," John smirks. Robin certainly doesn't think _that_ will happen after the way things went yesterday, especially because he can't be near her without his heart yearning for her. God he's pathetic. Since when did he start relating to poems and cliche's? Since when did his distracting fling become a twisted version of Romeo and Juliette?

Suddenly the bell rings, and Robin raises his head to look at the rusty clock above the door in surprise. "Oh shoot," John hisses, pulling his sleeve up to look at his watch. "That's the five minute bell. I better rush to my class and prep."

"Of course," Robin says, standing up and giving his new friend a pat on the back before he begins walking to the door. "I'll catch you tomorrow?"

"Sure," John calls over as he exits his room, not even turning back.

* * *

 _"What is this?" She asks one night, pulling a few sheets of paper out from under his coffee table as he plates the Chinese he ordered. He glances up from the kitchen table and sees her sat on the sofa, eyes scanning the pages. Shit._

 _"No no no!" He drops what he's doing instantly and rushes over, wrestling the papers from her hands. "Don't look at that."_

 _Her dark eyes swivel up to meet his, her mouth set in a mischievous smirk. "Are those poems?"_

 _"No," he denies too quickly, and she lets out a chuckle, pulling at his shirt so he sits next to her. "Maybe."_

 _Regina bites her lip and pulls them easily from his grasp, because there's no point hiding them now. He averts his eyes in pure embarrassment, and focuses on looking at the empty fireplace. The lights are low in the living room, and it's too warm for the fire to be on so the room is altogether quiet, filled with the strong smell of chow mien. "Did you write them?" She asks, scanning the page._

 _"Mmm," he admits with a nod._

 _"I closed my eyes softly and-"_

 _"No, don't read that!" He protests, trying to grab the paper once again but she pulls away and continues to read._

 _"-fell in love with the way I remembered you: body, soul and all," she finishes, and then she blinks up at him. "Who are these about?" She asks quietly._

 _'You' is what he wants to say, because they are about her. Writing poems and stories is what he loves, and when he has a muse - when his heart finds words to describe his feelings, he can't help but write them. He doesn't want to scare her off though. Doesn't want things to change because of his... feelings._

 _"They're just words I wrote a while ago..." he trails off, avoiding her gaze once more. "They aren't about anyone in particular."_

 _"Oh."_

 _It's awkward, now. He doesn't know what else to say, and so he stands, knees clicking in the process, and walks back to the kitchen table. "Well they're beautiful," she calls from her place on the sofa. "'Meet me at midnight in the forest of my dreams. We'll make a fire and count the stars that shimmer above the trees'" she reads another. "I like that one."_

 _Robin plates the rest of the food and scoffs. "They're just drabbles. Nothing special."_

 _"Don't underestimate yourself," she says seriously as he brings the plates over and sits, her eyes making contact with his. His heart leaps like it does whenever she does something like that. Like when she tucks her hair behind her hair, or when she bites her lip the way she does, or when she looks at him like she is right now. With something he can't quite name but he likes it anyway. "Read one to me?"_

 _Robin shakes his head in protest, but she pouts at him, shoving the papers on his lap - just missing the plate of food he's holding. "Fine," he rolls his eyes, picking the page she's just thrown up. It's covered in black ink, messy writing, a few scribbled out parts here and there, and it's embarrassing that she's seen this but he can't help but feel happy that she likes his silly midnight thoughts. Regina's eyes light up, and she crosses her legs and angles herself so that she's opposite him on the sofa, plate in her lap._

 _He clears his throat and chooses one that's easy enough and not too suggestive (he hopes). "She came with the prevailing wind, wrapping herself on my mind as she left me blind. Where is my breath? I cannot find."_

 _"You're so smart," she whispers, and when he looks up at her his breath catches at the intensity of her gaze. She's so beautiful that he can't believe it. She's just sat there in one of his shirts, the dim light of the room giving her this low glow. He hair is cascading in curls down her back, the shiny raven color complimenting her face. His heart clenches at her beauty, and yes, she's definitely his muse. She's pure to him. She's a book he wants to open, and read and read and read until he can't read anymore. Until he imprints himself onto the pages, so he can live out this story with her. He's falling in love with her. All she has to do is look at him and he's a stupid mess._

 _They haven't even started eating, but for some reason he isn't hungry anymore. He's drowning in her eyes, he's thirsty for the air that she's stealing from his lungs. "Thank you," he rasps, gaze not leaving hers, and then he leans down, eyes dropping to her lips. She knows where this is going, so she shits her plate on her lap and meets his kiss halfway, moving her lips softly and languidly against his. He brings a hand to cup the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him, addicted to the taste of her kiss. It's like honey. Sweet and gooey and oozing tenderness._

 _He moves to lay her down so he can get a better position, but his plate slips of his lap and lands onto the floor with a thud, while her food starts falling off the plate and over her bare leg. "Crap," he groans, pulling away from her and reaching down to pick up the plate (which luckily landed the right way up) while she starts scooping food from her lap back onto the plate._

 _"Yeah I don't think that was the best idea," Regina giggles._

 _Robin nods in agreement. "We got a bit caught in the moment."_ _Not that he can help it. He cherishes every moment with her._

* * *

They're walking to Emma's car after school, the buzz of the end of the day rushing through everyone's veins as students pile out of the doors. Emma had agreed to give Regina a lift home because she felt bad that she had to take the bus that morning. Regina also knows that Emma probably wants to talk to her; and her suspicions are confirmed as Emma unlocks the drivers side door.

"So... wanna tell me what was up with you earlier?" She asks casually enough, not even speaking directly to Regina as she clambers into her car.

Regina sighs and climbs in after Emma, mentally preparing herself for whichever direction this conversation may go in. "I told you. I'm just-"

"Tired?" Emma asks amused, but not convinced, turning her keys to start the car. "I'm not buying it. Something is definitely up."

"Emma, just drop it," Regina pleads.

"What kind of best friend would it make me if I did that?"

Regina scoffs and turns to look at the now driving blonde. "Less nosy, that's for sure," she quips.

"It's not funny, Regina," Emma cries as she watches the road. "I mean, one minute you're your normal bitch self, and then after spring break you're like a shell... you're distant," she says, and Regina's face falls. This conversation is getting serious, and she's getting uncomfortable. "Is this to do with that guy? The one you were seeing over spring break? Did something happen? Are you pregnant or-"

"No, Emma!" Regina gasps, nudging her harder than she should when Emma is driving.

"What then? Did your mother do something? Did Leopold? He didn't do anything did he?" Regina shakes her head violently at Emma's suggestion, because no way could Leo ever lay a hand on her, as creepy as he is. "Did something happen with Daniel? Tell me Regina, because I'm out of guesses. You've been a mess, and I can tell that you've been crying whether you deny it or not, so something happened!"

Regina feels the familiar sensation of her throat tightening and her eyes stinging, and she has to clench her fist around the strap of her purse to prevent tears from streaming down her face. Emma is trying her best to understand, and it tears her apart that she can't tell her everything. Can't help her friend try to help _her_. Everything is a mess and it's overwhelming her, and she obviously hasn't been as subtle as she hoped.

"Regina, you know you can tell me anything."

It's that comment that breaks her, and Regina closes her eyes and lets out a muffled sob. Emma's eyes widen as she takes her eyes off the road for a second to look at her friend. "Shit," she murmurs. "Regina? It's okay."

"It's just..." she cries, bringing her hand to cover her mouth. She can't even speak because she's crying to hard. "It hurts so bad."

"What? What does?!" Emma asks, trying her best to continue driving while her best friend is falling apart in the passenger seat.

"I'm so heartbroken Emma," she breaths. "All over again." She just can't hold it in anymore. She can't keep up this act, especially not with her best friend. Especially when she's hurting so bad. "I... I fell in love with him. I love him and he doesn't love me. He doesn't love me. We can't be together."

Emma takes one hand off the wheel and grabs Regina's, giving it a squeeze. "Who?"

"I can't say," she shakes her head slowly, breathing becoming so rapid she's afraid she might faint. "But everything is falling apart. I shouldn't have lied... I didn't realize. I just wanted him, and us. I wanted that life. Away from everyone. I wanted him and, and the poems. I wanted to be who he wrote about. I thought I was- and now- it hurts- and I can't- I can't-breath-Em-ma"

She's a blubbering mess, her tears so thick and her breathing so erratic that she has to pull away from Emma's grasp to cover a hand over her chest.

"Regina, calm down. You're having a panic attack. I'm sorry Regina, I didn't mean to," Emma swallows hard, concern laced in her eyes as she tries to find a place to pull over. She turns into the Target car park, pulling over as quickly as she can and unclipping her seat belt. She scoots over so that she can wrap her arms around Regina, and she pulls her head to her chest, hand stroking her hair softly.

"I just don't-under-stand," she says between breaths. "I'm-so-sad," she chokes.

Emma's bottom lip quivers, and there's a wobble in her voice as she whispers; "It's okay."

* * *

He's sitting on the sofa, glass of scotch clasped in his hand as he reads the pages of messy thoughts he'd scribbled down about her. He downs the strong liquid, letting the taste of it sliver down his throat to help numb the pain a little more. What's written down might be true, so so true, but he can't continue it any longer for his own sake.

It's just too risky. It's too dangerous - for both of them, because if they were found out then he'd never see her again and she'd be twice as heartbroken. At least if she thinks that he doesn't love her she can hate him instead. He doesn't want her to hate him, he selfishly doesn't want her to move on either, but it's something he's just going to have to live with. It's reality, and it's the safest option for the both of them.

But it doesn't stop his heart expressing his feelings through words in his head, swimming around like a sea of sharks. They're plaguing him. His heartbroken thoughts, his poetic mind burdening him with using his emotions to create soppy lines filled with _so much depth_. He can't help taking a pen from his blazer pocket, putting his glass down and lifting his shoe clad feet to rest on the scratched wood of his coffee table so that he can lean back and scrawl his thoughts onto the page.

His mind is alive with images of her; laughing, smiling, tender kisses and soft touches. The smell of her hair, the deep brown of her eyes, the beauty of her mind. A memory of the moment that he realized how he felt. When she was laying next to him one morning, curious gaze tracing every line on his face, blinking slowly. It was as if her thoughts had woken him up, and to wake up to that face looking at him like that made him metaphorically stumble so hard that his face hit the floor. The ways in which she looks at him are what affects him most, he thinks. And so when he awoke to her so close and so open, his mind went into overdrive. And then she smiled.

 _"Suddenly I landed;_

 _The wind knocked out of me._

 _Heavy gasps,_

 _Breathing in slowly._

 _Fingers checking,_

 _Nothing broken._

 _You smiling,_

 _Me realizing;_

 _How hard I have fallen_

 _In love."_

He doesn't even read over what he's written; he knows it's crap. It's just exactly how he feels scrawled on a page, and the words will probably outlive their meaning.

* * *

 _Okayyyyy that was emotional so I'm sorry... but realistically, Regina would be heartbroken since she doesn't think he loves her (how silly, right?), and obviously realistically Robin can control his feelings better (being an adult) and isn't gonna risk his job ( **yet** *wink wink*) so soz for the angst overload. _

_But I dunno, maybe *cough* Regina tries to move on with someone else and *cough* Robin's all like 'bish-what?' *cough cough*. I mean who knows what will happen at the party Emma's planning?_

 _Anyway, thanks taking the time to read (I am **so** not confident in my writing, so I'm happy that people enjoy it haha) I'll see ya next time._


	7. Trouble

_Apologies for the delay in chapters. I really had a rough case of writers block and general displeasure with everything I was writing so it just took me a while to find something I was satisfied with. Actually, that being said, I am still not entirely pleased with the crap that is the next two chapters (yeah, I'm posting two because it's been so long) so don't expect to be wowed. It's still filler stuff, I'm afraid, and I struggle with writing stuff without much substance which is why I'm just gonna post these and never look at them again and theeeeennnnnn I'll get to writing chapter nine (where stuff gets **interesting** ). _

_Anyway, all mistakes are mine - enjoy (or not) x_

* * *

Her car confiscation has been extended to Monday.

Cora is livid right now - she's so mad she wont even talk to her own daughter. Not only did Regina not come home on Wednesday night, but she took the day off school on Thursday too, only to return home late Thursday evening with a stuffy nose and a container with some of Ingrid's ice cream.

Regina is currently strapped in the back seat of her mothers black Mercedes, twiddling her thumbs nervously as Cora drives her to school early Friday morning. She wants to have a word with Gold, she'd said. Regina can guess what it's about and she's sure it's nothing good, and sitting behind her silent mother as the voice on the radio talks about the weather is only increasing her dread.

"Mother?" Regina asks quietly once she gets the guts, having to clear her throat for her voice to grow a little louder. Cora meets her daughters eyes in the mirror, not impressed look on her face. "Emma isn't going to get into trouble because of me, is she?" Her mother knows where she stayed on Wednesday night, as well as whom exactly she bunked off with yesterday, and Misthaven does not take truancy lightly.

Cora snaps her gaze away from the mirror and tightens her grip on the wheel with a dramatic sigh. "Listen to me closely, Regina. I do not tolerate my children ruining their lives. You want to be a big girl and mess around with your friends and take days off school? Expect consequences," she warns, voice calmly mad. "You do remember your sister Zelena, right?"

It's a low blow to the heart and certainly a slap to the face. One, because her mother clearly thinks she's a nuisance child who ditched school because she wanted to 'mess around', showing that she obviously doesn't know her own daughter at all, and two, because Zelena has always been a sore subject. Partly because she still doesn't know what happened to her (or why she was sent away), and partly because she misses her big sister, even though it's been almost ten years.

"So if you think it's wise to do silly things - this close to the end of the year - your friends should be punished too. I'm sure Ingrid isn't best pleased with Emma missing school either," Cora continues. Actually, she couldn't be more wrong about Ingrid. Ingrid had been the one to _suggest_ staying in and missing school.

 _"You must always look after yourself first. What use will you be at school today if you're this upset, sweetie?"_ she'd said, an arm wrapped around a crying Regina's shoulder on Emma's bed as her blonde friend cried quietly beside her. Emma has always hated seeing people sad.

"So you're selling me and my friend out to Gold?" Regina bravely asks, and Cora swerves the car ever so slightly in shock.

"You are in no position to answer back to me, young lady!"

Regina shuts her mouth before she can get into even more trouble, deciding to look out of the window so she can admire early morning LA instead. They'd just driven to her mothers office so Cora could drop her files to her assistant, and now they are driving to school (which is going to take twice as long now since Cora works in Santa Monica and they live up in Westwood). She presses the side of her head to the cold glass, eyes following the palm trees as they dart past her so fast that they're just a blur. They drive past the empty Santa Monica Pier, and Regina get's a triggering memory of a better time.

 _Her and Daniel, munching on candyfloss in the pastel glow of the sunset. The area around them alive with families and friends and couples kissing, laughing, enjoying themselves._

 _"I don't wanna go on the big wheel," she giggles as he holds her hand and tries to drag her towards it._

 _"Don't be chicken Regina," he groans lightheartedly, pouting at her. "I'll keep you safe."_

Well, he'd done a shit job at 'keeping her safe' when he'd gone and kissed another girl. And life is doing a shit job at keeping her sane at the moment, too. Who out there wants to ruin her life? Did she step under a ladder? Why is her luck this bad?

By the time they get to school it's only 8:20am, and only a few cars are parked in the teachers car park (being on the board means Cora can park here). Regina slumps out of the back, following her mother while adjusting her skirt so that it hits her knee (God forbid it's any higher or Cora might accuse her of being a slut), trying to rehearse what to say in the meeting they're having with Gold. Not that she can even guess what he'll say to her.

They walk through the foyer, Cora's heals echoing throughout the halls in the empty school. It increases the suspense, walking silently through the corridor behind her angry mother. An angry mother who has taken the morning off of work to drop her truant daughter to school. When they reach the corridor where Gold's office is, Regina instantly spots Emma and Ingrid sat on the uncomfortably worn chairs.

"Morning," Cora says in a chirpy tone as they approach, tight smile that she reserves only for people she utterly cannot stand (but has to be polite to anyway) plastered on her face.

"Morning," Ingrid replies warmly, standing to greet the two of them and offering Regina a kind smile. Emma remains seated, amused expression on her face directed at her best friend like she couldn't care less that they were in such trouble. "I am so sorry about the girls missing school while under my care, Mrs Mills, I-"

"It's Mrs Blanchard now," Cora corrects calmly, false smile still present on her face. "And I'm sure that they were convincing in their excuses." Ingrid's smile falters, and she looks as if she's about to respond when the doors to Gold's office suddenly open, bringing their attention in the direction of his assistant.

"Mr Gold will see you now," Katherine smiles in her sickly sweet tone, stepping aside to let the four of them in. Regina doesn't miss the way Cora's eyes look disapprovingly at the way the assistant is dressed, and for a moment she feels bad for Katherine. Just a small moment.

Walking further into the room Regina notices that there are four seats in front of Gold's desk rather than the two that are usually there, and he's aired out the stuffy room by opening the large French windows. She doesn't dare take a seat until her mother does, and Emma and Ingrid follow after her.

Gold looks neutral, offering all four of them acknowledging nods before lacing his hands together. "Good morning Mrs Blanchard and Ms Swan," Gold greets before looking to Regina and Emma sat in between both of their parents. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

"As do I, but alas, these two see fit to truant off of school," Cora sighs. Each time she opens her mouth it gets on Regina's nerves a little more. She just casually makes these irking comments, these snide remarks, just to piss people off. They know _exactly_ why they're here, there is no need to rub it in.

"First off, Mr Gold, I'd just like to apologize on my behalf and on behalf of the girls. I understand that they were under my care when they missed a day-"

"And why exactly did they miss a day?" Gold interrupts, turning his head in Ingrid's direction. Regina's heart rate rises and her breathing goes shallow. Ingrid knows that she can't say the real reason. That Regina had been distraught on her sofa, heartbroken about this guy who she still will not name. Her mother would not only think it pathetic that a grown woman let her daughter and someone else's daughter stay off school because she was crying, but she will also demand to know who this guy is, and why Regina was so upset about him.

"Well I just-"

"We told her we were going to school. We put our uniforms on and everything. We even left at the right time," Emma interrupts Ingrid, sending a glance to Regina who nods in agreement.

Gold sits back a little in his seat, the leather cracking a in the air. "Ahh," he nods, "and why, may I ask, did you decide to spend the day off of school... Miss Mills?" he turns the conversation on Regina, and she's a little baffled for a moment. If her mother hadn't taken her phone when she'd come home yesterday, maybe she would've had time to come up with some sort of story with Emma as soon as she found out Cora was selling them out.

"I uh..." she licks her lips, "we had a lesson that we didn't want to go to."

"And what lessons do you and miss Swan both have on a Thursday that are together?" Gold raises an eyebrow.

Shit. They only have one lesson together on a Thursday and that's literature... way to bring more attention to herself and Robin. "Literature," she admits quietly.

"And that would be with Mr Locksley? The same Mr Locksley who you caused trouble with on Tuesday?" Gold presses, making Cora turn to face her daughter with a disapproving glare. Emma and Ingrid look at Regina sympathetically, knowing her mother wont hold back on her displeasure.

"What, prey tell, happened with this 'Mr Locksley'," Cora blinks. For a second Regina notices the way Emma frowns in confusion and tilts her head, but with the clearing of Cora's throat her attention is brought right back to her mother.

"I kicked off a little when he tried to take my phone..."

"My goodness, I've heard it all now. Missing school, kicking off about phones. How silly can you get, Regina? Honestly I don't know where I went wrong with you. I set you rules to keep you in check, I have high expectations which you continuously fail to meet. What more do you want from me?"

Regina can't help but clench her jaw. She tries so hard not to let what Cora says sting, but sometimes she can't help it. _"What more could you want from me?"_ Honestly that question is laughable, because there is a whole lot that Regina would like from her mother, starting with _love_.

"I'm sorry mother," she mumbles, looking down at her lap.

Gold clears his throat and continues to talk. "So is this why you wished to miss Mr Locksley's lesson? Because he got you into trouble the other day?"

"Maybe because he has some personal vendetta against her," Emma mutters to herself from next to Regina, and she instantly gasps and shoots her head up. Now she knows why Emma looked confused at her mothers question about Robin. She thinks he tutored Regina, and _shit_ _shit shit_ she hopes she's the only one who noticed Emma's comment.

She seemingly isn't the only one that noticed. "What was that, Miss Swan?"

Emma shrugs. "I dunno, seemed a little shady that he picked on _only_ Regina when he also happens to already know her since he was her tutor," she says smugly, probably feeling like she's helping them out of trouble when she's only just dug Regina a deep, deep grave.

"No, no, Emma you-"

"Nobody named Locksley tutored my daughter. She had Anastasia Rouge as usual," Cora frowns, looking past Regina at Emma.

Confusion crosses Emma's face, and she makes eye contact with a frozen Regina. All eyes are on the pair, and Regina prays that Emma can read her thoughts or at least her pleading eyes. Her pleading eyes asking her not to say anymore.

"Right," Emma shakes her head and looks at Gold slowly. "I must've gotten that wrong. Regina doesn't tell me much about tutoring."

Relief washes over Regina, and she thanks every star for Emma being smarter than she looks.

"Okay..." Gold nods, a little skeptical. "Well then I'd like to move on to discussing punishments. Mrs Mills, I did give Regina a final warning the other day but seeing how both girls disobeyed the same rule I think I should give them the same punishment." Both parents nod, Ingrid grimacing worriedly and Cora squinting her eyes awaiting his next words. "You two will not be allowed to attend Prom."

All of the air in the room is sucked out and the color drains from every single females face. Regina even hears Katherine, who is still lingering by the closed door behind them, shift uncomfortably. _Prom_ is all Emma has been talking about since they first met in their first year at Misthaven, _Prom_ is the one thing Regina has been looking forward to at the end of the year (apart from the actual end of the year) and Cora has _always_ had the utmost expectations for her daughters last high school celebration.

"What?" Emma breathes, disappointment filling her eyes. Ingrid puts a comforting hand on her daughters shoulder.

"You cannot be serious?" Cora exclaims. Well what in the hell did she expect would happen when she decided to sell her daughter and her friend out!?

Regina bites back the retort she wants to shout at her mother and turns to Gold. "For missing one day?!"

He shrugs and sits back smugly. "Misthaven takes truancy extremely seriously. And so do colleges-"

"No," her mother interrupts, which is extremely out of character for her. "Informing colleges and putting this on Regina's record will not be necessary. As a valued board member I think that being banned from prom is punishment enough."

Regina isn't surprised that she drew the line at that, and she's grateful for it too. She does aspire to go to college, and she would hate for that to be ruined because of a stupid day off of school.

"Of course, Mrs Blanchard," Gold nods.

* * *

It is awkwardly quiet and a little intense halfway through his third period lesson.

A little more quiet than it should be for a twelfth grade literature class - especially when Regina Mills is sat on the third row. Sat silently working on the _third row_ , head down, pen out, scribbling notes on her analysis sheet on the _third row_. Not a word from her since she'd sat down on the _third. row_.

He'd usually be happy that his class was working so well and quietly, but at the moment he just wishes for a distraction. Wishes for somebody to pass a note or to start a fight. Immature, he knows, but he needs something to focus on other than deafening silence and his ex-whatever sat on the third damn row. He's also aching to know why she missed his lesson yesterday. He hasn't actually seen her since that awkward brief moment in the canteen on Wednesday, and despite thinking it best that they don't speak, he wants to know what's going on with her.

Is she doing okay? How is she coping? Does she miss him?

What ridiculous questions. These are the type of questions he obsesses over when he's moping at Killian's bar or when his plaguing thoughts are keeping him up at midnight. Not in the middle of irritatingly quiet lessons when he can quite easily just ask her... even though he actually _can't_. They're also the type that he doesn't want to know the answer to. If he finds out she isn't coping okay... or if she's upset he will just want to comfort her. He'll want to protect her from everything even though he's mainly the cause.

He still remembers her face when he told her.

 _"I don't love you."_

It was awful.

The look of sheer disbelief and utter desperation on her precious face. _"You're lying,"_ she'd said, and yes, yes he had been. But he couldn't tell her that just because he could pinpoint the moment her world fell apart before him.

"Mr Locksley?" Lily asks from behind Regina, and he sees her flinch but not move.

He clears his throat and gives Lily his full attention from his place at his desk. "Yes Miss Page?"

"I uh..." she starts sheepishly, "need help on this question."

Well this is awkward. His professionalism is telling him to get up and help his student, but the stupid, twisting anxiety part of him is telling him not to, because Regina is _right there_ in front of Lily. He'll have to walk past her... and he'll have to smell her perfume and-

"Mr Locklsey?" Right. Lily. Professional. Teacher. Help her.

"Of course, do you want to bring the question over here?" He asks nervously, and Lily frowns for a moment but scoots out of her chair. A few people look up and watch the girl from the front but everyone is back to work the moment she puts her sheet onto his desk.

"Question eight," she points, dropping her pen onto the page as if he doesn't have a pen right next to- wait... where _is_ his pen? He feels his pockets and fumbles around for a moment but he can't find it, and then of course he realizes he's stalling and he should probably help his student out.

He licks his lips and reads over the question she wants help with. It isn't too difficult, but he can see why she's confused. "Basically, you explain-" when he looks up at her face to explain what to do his eyes catch a vibrant bruise across one cheek. He may not like the girl for petty reasons (because she dislikes his e- Regina) but he can't ignore something like that. "What happened to your face?"

A hand shoots up to cover her cheek and her eyes widen. "Nothing I just... got into a stupid fight," she replies, snatching her question sheet from him. "Thanks for helping." She doesn't even let him say anything else before she's speed walking back to her desk. He wants to ask her more but to be honest he knows how teenagers are. He knows girls are catty with their fights and it's more than likely that her story is true and she's just embarrassed. That, or he just can't be bothered to care about Lily at the moment.

He gives the class another fifteen minutes to finish the questions before going through answers. As expected, Regina simply sits and ticks things off her page - Emma is weirdly quiet next to her too. As he gives out the answers he can't stop his eyes darting in her direction, just to catch a glimpse of her. Trying to subtly look at her for a second to see if that's long enough to read what she's thinking.

 _"What do you think the birds talk about?" She asked as his fingers drifted lazily over her skin_ _leaving goosebumps in their wake._

 _Robin chuckled, breathing in the scent of her hair. The birds were chirping outside his bedroom in the early morning atmosphere as they laid cuddled up together in his bed. "Probably not the weather."_

Stop it. He really should stop his mind just drifting into random memories like that. He really should also probably stop staring directly at her when she could look up from her page any moment- _now_. She's just looked up and caught him looking. He's sure the color has completely drained from his face, despite the fact that he instantly darts his eyes in a different direction. It's uh... awkward because the rest of the class are looking up at him expectantly for the next answer while he tries to gather his thoughts and concentrate on acting normal.

"What's wrong Locksley?" Emma asks in a challenging tone with her arms folded. The class all shoot their attention to the blond - even Daniel and Graham look confused. "Distracted?"

He doesn't know what she means, but dread washes over him as he considers that she _knows_. What if Regina had told her? They were both absent from his lesson yesterday. And if she knows then who else does? His life is on the line, and suddenly his palms are sweating. He feels clammy and uncomfortable and to be honest the silence, once again, is letting tension and suspense hang thickly in the air.

"That's enough, miss Swan," he manages to rasp, voice shaky and uncertain. His eyes dart to Regina, who looks just as confused and panicked as him but looking directly at her best friend. Emma looks to Regina and raises an eyebrow, before clearly getting the message to not take this any further.

* * *

 _She hangs up the phone and walks out of his en suit dressed in only his shirt._

 _"Who keeps calling?" He asks curiously, sitting up in the bed as soon as she walks in. She sighs and brushes it off with her hand._

 _"Just my boyfriend."_

 _He freezes, eyes widening as he glances up at her. She has a boyfriend? Oh no way. He did not sign up to be somebody's bit on the side, and yet in the two times they've done this he's never even asked her about her relationship status._

 _"You... you're cheating on someone?"_

 _She looks serious for a moment but he's confused when she bursts into a fit of beautiful laughter. She covers her face with one palm and shakes her head, still giggling away when she admits, "no. It was my mother."_

 _He feels like an idiot now. Surely he'd of noticed by now if she had a boyfriend. In the few days they've know each other she would've said something. Right?_

 _"So you don't have a boyfriend then?" He clarifies, and it only makes her laugh harder as she scoots beside him on the bed and shakes her head._

 _"Jesus, Robin, lighten up," she giggles, "I broke up with my last boyfriend when_ he _cheated on_ me _a few months ago."_

 _He feels even dumber now. He just wants to take the focus off of his gullible attitude. "So what did you mother want? Is she coming to visit you?"_

 _Regina's giggles die out and he expression is replaced by a grimace. "No... she lives with me. Or rather, I live with her."_

 _Robin frowns and studies her. She's chewing her lip, so there's something she's hiding, and she's twiddling her thumbs so it's something she's nervous about. "Okay... So you still live with your mum? Is that an issue? Is that why she's calling?"_

 _"Actually she's calling because she wants me home," Regina tucks her hair behind her ear and folds her legs on his bed. He tilts his head to the side._

 _"Right now?"_

 _"By seven," she completes. "For dinner."_

 _He finds it strange that she has to be home in time for dinner like some sort of child, but they could be expecting company or it could be somebody's birthday. "What's the occasion?"_

 _She inhales deeply and breathes out. "There isn't an occasion, she just wants me home at that time."_

 _"Just tell her no if you want," he rolls his eyes, "she can't boss you arou-"_

 _"Actually, she can. She's my mother, and it's her house," she huffs, pursing her lips._

 _He shrugs, "move out."_

 _"I can't!" She cries, and now he's really starting to get suspicious about what she won't tell him. It can't be that bloody bad. He'd assumed she was rich by the way she dresses, acts and speaks but maybe she's not and can't afford to move out - it's no big deal. But why won't she just tell him?_

 _"Why?" he eyes her, reaching for her hand and taking it tenderly. She looks up and meets his eyes._

 _"I'monlyeighteen," she mumbles at once, and he doesn't understand a word of it._

 _"Huh?" he scoffs._

 _"Because I'm only eighteen!" She cries, pulling her hand away and throwing her head into her hands._

 _WHAT!?_

 _She's only bloody what?!_

 _He scoots away from her immediately, stomach suddenly churning uncomfortably as shock washes over him. He is a twenty seven year old man and he's been sleeping with a practical child?_

 _"Robin?" She questions, going to move closer to him but he pulls back on the bed, suddenly reaching over to grab his dressing gown. He pulls it on to cover himself and then stands, rubbing his palms violently over his face. She clambers across the bed slowly to be nearer to him, whispering a "Robin," which he doesn't respond well to._

 _"Don't," he seethes, turning to look at her. "I can't believe you're only..."_

 _She looks guilty as she hangs her head. "It's not like you forced me or that any of this is illegal."_

 _"That isn't the point. I mean I knew you were young but that's just too far," he turns to look at her. "We've done so much. I mean-"_

 _"It's nothing I haven't already done," she snaps, "I'm not a fucking kid. You're the one who called me back after that night at the bar. I left my number, you chose to use it." She's collecting her things, now. Storming around the room whilst grabbing her underwear, black play suit and socks._

 _She's leaving, he realizes, and maybe that's for the best. They've met up like this twice now, done many things during those times and yeah, it was nice for a bit. A little refreshing distraction from the bullshit with Marian but nothing more. Well actually, Regina is quite a good kisser and she's just as good in bed, but he isn't going to continue that now that he knows her age._

 _She faces the other way and pulls her panties on before pulling his shirt off and donning her bra. She turns and walks up to him, handing him his shirt. He can't help his eyes as the wander over her practically naked form, visually devouring what he physically has before. She pauses in front of him for a moment, catching on to what he's doing. "Like the view, huh?" She teases with a bite of her lip._

 _Robin swallows hard and closes his eyes before snatching his shirt from her. "You know..." she continues, breath close and voice quiet, dripping with sensuality. "We don't even have to tell anyone." She raises a hand and draws a circle on the part of his chest the dressing gown isn't covering. His eyes shoot open then. Deep and dark with desire. "It can be just you and me enjoying... everything," she punctuates her suggestion with a bite of her lip, and Robin feels that go straight to his already hard and throbbing member._

 _He doesn't know what's wrong with him. He doesn't know why he's suddenly so turned on (actually he does, and it has something to do with the tease in front of him) but for some reason he's finding it harder to resist her, The prospect of keeping it quiet almost makes it a little more thrilling._

 _His eyes drop to her lips then, bitten by perfect white teeth in a way that has him making his decision. He doesn't rush, though. He slowly makes eye contact with her making sure that she is actually okay with all of this, and when she releases her lip and curls her mouth into a mischievous smirk he gets his answer. He cups her cheek and leans in, taking her lips softly with his as their mouths press together._

 _Regina seemingly doesn't want to go tenderly, though. She brings her hands to the back of his neck and turns her head to deepen the kiss, her nose pressed into his cheek as her breath quickens through it. He likes this speed too. It has him wanting her more and more each second as their mouths open and her tongue finds his. His free hand wanders down her waist, over her hip and then around to find purchase on her bare ass. She sighs heavily into the kiss when he gives it a squeeze, and then he grips it harder and lifts her just enough to take a step toward the bed and lay her onto it._

 _She responds eagerly, wrapping her legs around him when he climbs on top of her, their lips still attached. Suddenly she's tearing off his dressing gown, nails dragging the length of his arm as she shoves the sleeves from his shoulders. He moves his hands to unclasp the bra she's just put on, and she has to arch her back slightly to assist him in the task, before she's reaching down and kicking off her own panties._

 _He positions himself outside of her, but pulls away from the kiss and gives her a breathy "you sure," and waits for her nod which comes eagerly. His desire and want overtake his doubts by a mile, and his lips are back on hers as he enters her slowly, deciding that they're both as willing and wanting as one another._

 _Robin thrusts into her, pulling away from the kiss as he grunts and collects a steady rhythm that has her gasping and moaning. He attaches his lips to her neck, biting and sucking and moving up to her jaw, then cheek, then lips once more. He drops an arm to find her ass, palming it and pushing it so that her body is practically merged with his so he can pound faster, skin slapping as already sweaty flesh comes together. He gets closer and closer with each movement, body shaking with want and exhaustion, but he can't help but think he needs to speed her along too. Letting go of her ass he brings his hand around so her can find her clit, circling it with his finger and earning a sharp cry and a hiss of "yessss" from her._

 _Her nails begin scratching at his back again, pleasurable pain he knows will leave a mark later. He starts picking up the speed, earning glorious noises from her that make him all the more eager to make her come undone. Her 'mmm's and breathy-whispers of 'don't - mmm - stop' are enough to drive him mad, and after a few more fast thrusts he's taken over the edge followed shortly by Regina, whose walls flutter around him as her body tenses._

 _Their heavy breathing is the only sound in the room for at least a minute, until he shuffles and rolls off of her, placing a soft kiss (he doesn't quite know why) to her forehead when he does. She hums contently, staring up at the ceiling with her hands clasped on her stomach._

 _"I think you made the right choice," she whispers._

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Regina snaps the moment they're out of Literature, stopping her friend from walking further down the corridor. Students rush around them to get to the canteen, Lily and Jefferson offering them disgusted glances as they pass by.

"You couldn't trust me, huh?" Emma snaps, glaring right at Regina.

Regina frowns. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about," Emma responds with a sarcastic chuckle, "Spring break? Mystery guy? Can't be together anymore? Quiet chats in his fucking classroom-"

"Shhhh!" Regina hisses, grasping her friends elbow and pulling her back into Robins classroom and closing the door. He instantly stands from his desk in confusion, looking at the two intruders. "Wanna shout it any fucking louder?" Regina continues speaking to her friend.

"What's going on?" Robin asks cautiously.

Emma turns to him with an unimpressed glare. "I know about your dirty secret, _that_ is what's going on."

"Oh God," Robin groans, rubbing both palms over his face. Regina doesn't even look at him, she's too hurt, but she needs somewhere to talk to Emma that guarantees discrepancy.

"I didn't tell her," Regina whispers, still not facing him.

"No, she din't. She lied to me about it first and I had to work it out in a meeting with Gold where I was banned from _my prom_ because I bunked yesterday since she was too heartbroken to go anywhere because of you," she grits her teeth and turns, pointing at Robin. "I am in no way the judgmental type but I am finding it very hard to be understand when _you_ lied," she points to Regina, "and _you_ broke her heart," she points to Robin again.

Robin tenses his jaw, face scrunched with worry. "I- I'm sorry. It's complicated and-"

"Illegal. Wrong. Stupid. Cruel," Emma counts a finger after each statement. "Not to mention pointless since you've obviously broken up now."

"I don't know what else to say. She... I didn't know she was a student. I didn't want to 'break her heart.'" He sounds sincere and it breaks her more. None of them wanted this to happen, and yet here they are.

"You didn't even think to ask about these things? I mean you must've known how young she was-"

"Enough Emma!" Regina shouts, taking a step closer to his friend. "It isn't his fault. I lied. I can't expect him to risk his career for me." She wishes she believed her own words. Wishes she understood his decision. In her mind she does, but in her heart she doesn't. In her heart she just wants him. "We _both_ agreed to stay away from one another, and I'm... I'm sorry that I cost you prom. I'm sorry that I let you comfort me without telling you the full truth when you deserved to know. It's just I had a promise to keep, and that was that I'd tell nobody about us."

She looks up at him then, her sad eyes searching his. She can read so much from him now. Read the look of guilt, shame and panic on his face. He's leaning his side on the desk, the hand supporting him is gripping the wood so hard that his knuckles are white. His other hand is clenched into a fist at his side, almost hidden by his long blue blazer sleeve. "I'm sorry," he mouths.

"You could've told me," Emma says calmly, sounding offended. "I had to watch you break apart in the passenger seat of my car. I had to watch you panic and cry and then for hours at my house I had to hold you while you cried even more all because of _him_."

Regina doesn't want Robin to hear all of this. She doesn't want him to know just how much all of this affected her. But at the same time she selfishly does - and she hopes he feels bad about it. Bad about letting her show him the utmost vulnerability by admitting her feelings and then throwing it back into her face.

 _He can't help that he doesn't love you,_ she reasons with herself.

"I know Emma but-"

"I'm so sorry, Regina," she hears his voice and then both girls instantly snap their heads to the side to see the upset looking man. "I don't know what else to say but that I'm so sorry."

Of course he is. He shouldn't apologize, though. He shouldn't have to. He cannot help how he feels. She can't just hate him because he doesn't feel the same. And she doesn't hate him, just hates that he doesn't love her. That their time together meant less to him than it did to her. That to him it was all about getting over his wife.

Her hand comes to her cheek as soon as she feels the tear running down it. No. She cannot be weak right now. Not while he's stood there so whole while she's so broken. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now," she responds, turning her head to look at him slowly. "You wanted a distraction for your own issues, I was a willing solution. We ended because of the obvious circumstances," she indicates to her uniform and the classroom, "and I obviously got a little too attached to the whole thing. Now it's just time we move on and forget about it all."

She directs that last part at Emma, glaring at her so that she knows she's serious.

The blonde unfolds her arms and mumbles a _'fine'_ as Robin sighs in relief.

It angers Regina that all he seems to care about is keeping their secret, and it has her wishing more and more that they'd ended this way back when he found out about her age. It would've saved him the time and her the heartache.

"Okay, well lets get out of Mr Locksley's hair," she mutters with as much disdain as she can muster before pulling on Emma's arm and walking to the door. The blonde exits first, and before Regina can follow Robins voice stops her.

"I am sorry, Regina."

She sighs and turns to give him a look that remains neutral (she hopes). "Aren't we all?" She replies before turning and leaving before he can say any more.

When she shuts the door Emma is stood there with an expectant expression. "What?" Regina asks quietly, beginning to walk to the canteen.

"I'm sorry," she sighs, and Regina scoffs because it's as if she hasn't heard enough of _that_ to last a lifetime. "I shouldn't have gone all guns blazing. It's just I felt a little hurt that you didn't tell me and then angry because he's the guy that hurt you so bad."

"I get that, Emma. I'd be the same if it was somebody who hurt you but... this time it isn't all Robins fault," and still, she wishes that her words matched her thoughts. She _knows_ it isn't his fault but she can't help but blame him deep down.

Emma concedes and nods her head from next to Regina as they reach the canteen. "Graham printed and handed the invites out while we were gone yesterday. If you're still not totally grounded by Wednesday will you come do a shop for the party with me? We can talk a little more about everything away from school."

"Of course," she nods at Emma. "But if I'm still grounded and mother keeps my phone until then, expect me to bring in a load of cash to school for you to splash on everything."

They go over to the lunch counter as Emma sighs; "Just make sure you're there on Friday. We can't have Tinks party without the party queen can we?"


	8. Say It

_Again, not impressed but it just didn't wanna get written._

 _All mistakes are mine... x_

* * *

The entire week drags until Wednesday comes back around. Tink is back in school, perky as ever with a permanent smile on her face and a cliche love story to tell. Regina lets her chatter away about _every single second_ of camp as they leave their final lesson of the day, trying to come up with an excuse as to why she has to ditch her as soon as they leave school so Emma and herself can shop for the surprise part.

"I think it was his eyes but then it was how kind he was and then when he helped me out of the water after canoeing went wrong I just..." Tink trails off, gazing distantly at the high ceilings of the school as they walk down the corridor. "I just knew I liked him. Do you know what I mean?"

Regina hums in acknowledgment, fiddling with the strap of her purse and chewing on her lip. She can't help but resent the fact that everybody else has the ability to find _someone_ but her.

"I'm just sad because he works at camp full time, and I was only there on work experience so I probably wont see him for a while. I mean I gave him my number and he knows my name so if he wants to find me he will," she rambles, and Regina can hear a smile in her voice as she continues, "and I hope he does."

"Cute," she mutters, rounding the corner of the busy foyer.

"What the hell is up with you?" Tink asks just as they spot Emma leaning against the banister of the main staircase having a (serious looking) conversation with Graham. "Those guys are so frustrating," she says, distracted from their precious conversation (for which Regina is grateful).

"Hmm," Regina muses, folding her arms and stopping their walk when Tink slows down to observe and wait for Emma to finish. "She has a chance with someone who can make her happy and they're just messing around."

Tink chuckles and nudges her moody friend. "If I'm being honest, I don't think they're meant to be."

Regina, now intrigued, turns to look at the petite girl. "How'd you come to that conclusion?"

Tink crinkles her nose and shrugs. "Camp. We did these activities discussing legends and all that. Things about 'true love' and connections. It was all cheesy as hell but I learnt a few things."

"Oh yeah? Now you're some sort of love expert?" Regina scoffs.

"No," Tink rolls her eyes, "I just don't see _him_ being her soulmate."

"So you believe in soulmates now too?" she asks comically.

" _You_ don't?" she shoots back. At Regina's disagreeing head shake, Tink sighs. "Of course _you_ wouldn't. You're literally as pessimistic as they come."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Don't take it the wrong way. I just meant that you had your heart broken by Daniel and you've been living with Cora Mills your whole life. I wouldn't expect you to have much hope in things as silly as soulmates," Tink affirms, reaching to take Regina's hand. "But I believe that there is someone out there for you. I _know_ there is."

"As sweet as you are for thinking so, I don't think that's true." It can't be. She isn't special or particularity nice or the type who anybody wants their 'soul' tied to. Despite being so young and having so much time left to find someone, she doesn't think it will happen. Not with how broken she is now. She can't consider anyone else.

"Everyone does," Tink assures, glancing quickly over to Emma to check if she's finished her conversation. She hasn't.

"Oh yeah? Who? Let me guess... short temper, stubborn as hell, has a knack for making false promises?"

Tink hits her friends arm, "no. He'll be charming and kind and he'll take care of you-"

"And he'll text me sweet things and buy me flowers just because he can, and he'll compliment me," she interrupts sarcastically, shaking her head at the thought.

"Yeah," she agrees looking distantly at the ceiling like she had earlier, clearly missing Regina's sarcasm. "He'll have blue eyes and a lovely smile and," Tink closes her eyes, "gentle hands and a tattoo on his wrist."

Regina laughs loudly making Tink open her eyes. "That's a little specific. A tattoo?"

"Yeah," Tink shrugs. "Of a lion."

Regina's face drops. "A lion?" she frowns. "Why a lion?"

"That's just how I imagine your guy in my head. Blue eyes, lion tattoo, probably has dark hair 'cause that's your type," she explains as Emma begins to approach them. A lion tattoo? Why a lion tattoo?

Regina can understand the blue eyes since both Daniel and Robin have blue eyes, and Daniels hair is quite a dark shade so she knows where Tink got _that_ idea, but a tattoo? Neither guy has a tattoo, and so why Tink would suggest that her apparent soulmate has a lion on his wrist just baffles her.

Her thoughts are interrupted by Emma. "Hey guys," she smiles nervously, adjusting her bag on her shoulder and looking between her two friends.

"What was that about with Graham?" Tink asks.

Emma looks sheepishly to the side and nods her head so they can start walking to the exit. "He uhm..." she bites her lip to prevent the smile Regina can tell she's holding back. "He asked me out."

"He did? Omg what did you say?" Tink cries excitedly.

"I uh... I declined at first but we talked about it and... I said yeah," she replies. "Regina, you okay?" she asks, tilting her head at her silent friend.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," she smiles shortly, "so you and Graham huh?"

"Yeah... it was bound to happen," the blond grins before looking to Tink as they stop by her yellow bug, "I need to go now, though. My mom needs help at home."

"Oh..."

Regina turns to the other girl also and remembers her need for an excuse. "I uh... am still grounded. I told you earlier about skipping school and... my mom is still mad about it."

"Great," Tink sighs, looking so disappointed with the situation, that Regina almost doesn't want to ditch her right now. "I've been gone for a while and have really been looking forward to spending time with my two best friends."

"Well..." Emma looks to Regina for support on what to say.

"Well your birthday is on Sunday. Since you're spending it with your family why don't all go to Grahams on Friday for some quality friend time?" Regina supplies.

"Hmm... I suppose," Tink nods, sighing heavily. "I guess I'll let you guys get off. See you tomorrow."

All three girls hug before going to their separate cars, Regina shooting a quick text to Emma telling her to meet her at the usual store.

* * *

"If I'm being honest, I'm glad he asked me out," Emma says to Regina as they walk down the snack aisle, their shopping trolley filled with various alcoholic drinks and also a few items of food.

"Oh yeah?" Regina raises an eyebrow, picking up a packet of Cheetos and turning to Emma to briefly ask if they should get some. She nods.

"It's just that I haven't really liked anyone since Neal. When he graduated I honestly thought we'd stay in contact but he totally bailed... and I'm not really saying I didn't expect that it was a possibility he wouldn't call but..."

"You were still disappointing," Regina finishes, pushing the trolley around the next corner.

"Yeah," Emma replies, pulling her cell out to check the shopping list they'd discussed at lunch the day before. "But Graham and I have liked each other forever, and we've done... things and flirted but he's never had the confidence to take the next- wait, we need to go down here so I can buy a birthday card," she pauses, pointing down the card aisle. "Anyway, we haven't tried to make anything official before so now that he has I guess it means he really does like me. A lot."

Regina turns her head to look at her friend, seeing the soft, innocent smile on her face of pure hope and happiness. It makes her heart burst and break all at the same time. She's so happy that Emma has a chance, and things seem to be going right for her. She's happy for Tink and her cliche camp crush. She even genuinely smiles a little at dinner now when her step sister mentions her charming boyfriend. She just wishes she could be so lucky.

She doesn't know if she's happy for them because it distracts her from her own misery. She doesn't even know if she's _coping_ with her own crap, and if crying into her pillow most nights and sitting way too silently in her literature classes is anything to go by she doesn't think she _is_ coping well.

"I'm glad. I just hope you guys last past high school because if you break up before the end of this year our friendship group is gonna be _real_ strained between all of us," she offers Emma an arm rub and then they get to choosing Tinks birthday card.

Once they're hauling four shopping bags out of the store and heading to Emma's parked car all Regina wants to do is get home.

"Are you sure your mom is gonna be alright with you keeping these at yours until Friday," Regina huffs, shoving the bags into Emma's trunk as soon as it's open.

"Her name isn't Cora Mills so she should be cool," Emma grunts in reply, placing the last two bags in easily and slamming the trunk shut. "You gonna head home?"

"Yeah," Regina nods.

Emma shifts on her feet, the cool breeze blowing her golden locks as she brushes them from her face. "I'm sorry we didn't get to talk about... everything."

They've barely touched on the Robin situation since last week. They haven't had a spare moment alone until now, and clearly Emma chose not to touch on the subject or she would've hounded her with questions the minute they got to the store.

"I thought that, I don't know, you maybe needed time. To talk to me about it when you feel ready," Emma continues, and _this_ is why she's Regina's best friend. She doesn't push, she (usually) knows her boundaries and she is always, always, supportive.

Regina doesn't even say anything. She just gives a half grateful half sad smile to Emma and steps forward to embrace her in a hug that lasts at least a minute.

"I love you Em," Regina says as they pull apart before growing serious. "If you ever tell anyone I'm actually a soppy mess though I swear-"

"Shut up, I love you too," Emma shoves her best friends arm. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Regina chuckles and begins walking to her car, "yup. See ya tomorrow."

They wave to each other once last time before Emma is speeding off and Regina is putting her seat belt on feeling like home couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Robin is in his living room, the vibrant glare from the main room light (he usually has lamps on but right now he needs something brighter) highlighting the page he's reading with a deep scowl and serious concentration.

"These are the last few, so once they go through everything should be finalized," the man sitting on the chair by the heater says, picking up the glass of water Robin had gotten for him almost thirty minutes ago.

He's reading some final details on his divorce, his divorce lawyer clarifying any previous issues that have since been resolved and bringing to light any more complications. There are none, luckily.

"And how long will it take for it to become official? The divorce, I mean?" He asks, looking up to meet his divorce lawyers eyes.

"Since it's been through the courts and you and Miss Andrews have settled your disagreements it should be very quick. You'll receive a letter confirming that the divorce has been finalized. Then after the six month waiting period you'll be able to remarry - if you so wish," Sidney smiles, collecting up some of the loose papers he'd gotten out before and putting them into a pile.

Robin finds the idea of remarrying anytime in the next century, let alone after six months, laughable and quite ridiculous. Relationships aren't worth it anymore.

When Sidney stands he realizes that the man probably needs to leave, and one glance at the clock over in the kitchen tells him that it's just after six. "Alright. I'll get to doing these and I'll mail them. Has Marian..?"

"Signed them? Yes. Everything is finishes on her end, she seems quite keen to-"

His divorce lawyer is interrupted by a strong, yet not too loud, knock at the front door. Robin frowns, wondering who could be knocking at this time and for what reason.

Sidney silently asks if he can finish collecting his things, and Robin nods and then walks to the living room door, closing it behind him before walking down the hall to the front door. It knocks once again, and in the dimming sky outside he can just make out the outline of a woman through the window and-

Wait.

It's Regina.

As quickly as he can, and with more panic than he probably should have, he swings open the front door and walks outside, ushering her away from his door and pulling it almost closed. She lets out a little yelp of surprise when he bursts outside like that, but he ignores it and waits until they're to the side of where the front door is.

"Regina what do you think you're doing?" He hisses quietly, shocked and angry and panicked all at the same time. She's still in her uniform, he can tell despite the fact that she's wearing a knee length trench coat to cover the fact (for some reason), because of the black pumps (that make her look a few inches taller) which are on her feet.

She bites her lip and mutters a soft apology, before she's taking a step back and looking at him. "I was driving home and I couldn't stop thinking about everything. Then there was this song on the radio and-"

"Regina now really isn't the best time," he stresses, taking a step closer to her so he can just make out the scent of her perfume. She can't hide the pure disappointment on her face, or the nod she gives that shows that she probably expected as much.

"I know. And I'm sorry Robin but-" she cuts herself off as her expression goes from upset to anger and realization in a split second. "Wait..." she steps back even more, eyes narrowing at him, "is someone in there?"

He's confused for a moment until he looks the way she's pointing, her finger stretching to indicate his front door. _Is someone in there?_

He knows what she means. He knows why she thinks it, too. He just shoved her out of the view of his front door and is now standing in the biting cold of the evening even though he has a perfectly warm house behind him, and that can only mean he has someone in there. It's just not the someone she's assuming.

"No," he sighs, and that's a blatant lie, and she knows so because she raises an eyebrow. "I mean yes, but it- Regina!" he stops when she barges past him and starts storming to his front door, alarm and fear taking over when he realizes how it will look to Sidney if a young girl in a uniform goes waltzing into his house like a jealous ex. "Regina!"

He rushes after her, catching up to her only after she's managed to burst into his house and be greeted by Sidney standing awkwardly in the hallway. The other man looks confused and out of place, holding his briefcase in his right hand as he looks between the two who've just come in, out of breath and red cheeked.

"I'm sor- I'm uhm... I'm Regina," she holds out a cold hand to Sidney, who sweeps his eyes over her (in a way that has Robin inching a little closer to her) and switches the hand holding his brief so he can shake hers.

"I'm... just leaving," Sidney smiles, giving her hand a firm shake before nodding to both of them. "I'll see you later Mr Locksley. Nice meeting you, miss Regina."

And just like that, he walks around both of the shocked pair and closes the front door behind him. They're both silent for a moment before Regina huffs and puts a hand to her head. "I can't believe I..." she cringes and turns to look at him, swallowing in attempt to calm her panting. "I just thought you had someone - like a woman someone - here and I shouldn't have reacted like that."

He can understand where she's coming from. It's no news to him that she's impulsive and has a short temper, so her reaction isn't a surprise, and to be honest he would've assumed the same if somebody reacted like he did when she turned up.

Probably would've reacted similar, too.

"I know. I'm sorry I burst out like that but I'm failing to understand why you're here. We haven't spoken in over a week and you _know_ where we stand." It's making it harder for him. Seeing her standing here, in his hallway, her raven locks flowing past her shoulders and her ruby lips parted in slight apprehension. He isn't used to her being like this. Vulnerable and unsure.

In the weeks they spent together she was always confident and seductive and occasionally she'd have a blip of insecurity or an emotional outburst about things that were bothering her, but they never involved him or _them_. She had never been unsure around him before. Not until almost two weeks ago when everything went south.

"I know that you don't want to see me," she breathes in a shaky voice, looking up to meet his eyes, "I know that I'm young and stupid and I thought that this whole thing was a lot more than it must've been but I just can't stop thinking about you." Her voice is so small, now. So small and filled with so many tears she obviously needs to shed and he can't help but close his eyes and inhale because he can't see her like this. "It's selfish... I know it is. It's so selfish and so unfair and it's probably such a bad idea to come here and see you but I had to."

"Regina-"

"Let me finish," she whispers pleadingly, finding his hand and holding it. He finds her eyes and doesn't break the contact. "I've tried to hate you. I've tried to not think about you and everything between us. I've even tried to convince myself that I don't even love you but you can guess where that got me," she snickers, the tears clouding her vision suddenly rolling tenderly down her cheek. "But you know what I realized today? While I was driving my car and Ed Sheeran was playing on the radio and I had a shitload of things in my head about Tink's cliche and Emma's new relationship? Something doesn't quite make sense."

His heart begins thumping fast and he can't look at her any harder than he is. He's looking at her so intensely and concentrated that he can trace the pattern of her beautiful hazel eyes as they begin to take new color if that's possible. Pupils dilated, eyelashes fluttering, soft gaze. It's this moment when he knows that she knows.

"You do love me," she says quietly, so hopeful and yet still apprehensive. He swallows hard, knowing he doesn't need to say anything. There isn't a point in telling her again - he doesn't even think he could handle saying those awful things to her again anyway - and some part of him is relieved that she knows. He hated that she thought he didn't feel the same.

"And when you said those things. When you said that you don't have feelings for me and that all I was was a distraction, you were lying," she says, taking a step closer to him so they're now chest to chest. "How did you do it? How did you watch me fall apart over you when the whole time you-"

"It wasn't like that-"

"Don't," she closes her eyes and grits her teeth, taking a moment to calm down before looking back at him. "I would rather have you say that we couldn't together because it was wrong or because you were scared to get caught - or heck, I'd even rather you dumped me because you didn't think things would work out in the long run - but to flat out break me by making me think that I was stupid for feeling more than you, or overreacting because of how heartbroken I was is just something that I could never do to you."

It isn't fair. Her blaming him like this when he had no choice. Sure, maybe it was a bad decision to lie to her and mess with her feeling like that but what else was he supposed to do?

"It wasn't easy, actually," he snaps, stepping back from her a little and swallowing the lump that forms in his throat when he sees again how upset she is. "I had to do something. I had to say something. And hey, it worked. What I did got you off my back for a while. You were quiet in my lessons, there were no slip ups and longing glances or you coming to my classroom to declare that _maybe_ we can work out. I told you I didn't love you for both of our benefits. I said it so that you would finally, maybe, get over me, and so that I wouldn't lose my job."

She scoffs and folds her arms. "Oh, your little declaration got me off your back did it? Like I was some sort of lost puppy clinging onto you?"

"That isn't what I meant."

"Nothing you say seems to be what it means anymore," she spits, running a hand through her hair.

"So you're angry that I lied about my feelings?"

"Exactly," she replies, "because the whole time I couldn't be angry about it. Because the whole time I was saying 'he can't help his feelings', when really; you loved me. And while loving me you consciously broke my heart."

He doesn't even know what to say. What _can_ he say? He treated this whole thing badly but he panicked and was impulsive and he shouldn't _have_ to explain himself.

"If it was the other way around, and we wanted to be together but _you_ would lose so much if we were, would you not do the same? Something hard yet necessary to make sure I stayed away?"

"You-"

"And before you say it, no, I didn't _want_ you to stay away. I've wanted to see you every day. I have thought about you every day and I have missed you every. single. day. But I couldn't put myself through seeing you when I can't be with you. I didn't want to put you through that either. I would rather you hated me than you still wanting me."

"I could never hate you, Robin. And you not loving me didn't make me want you any less, it just made everything harder," she says shakily, wiping some tears from her eyes. "And after I had Daniel cheat on me, something I could have never thought of doing to him, I realized he must've not cared as much about me. So for my second chance - for you to make me feel just like I had with Daniel - was cruel," she sniffles, and she has to tilt her head to find his eyes since he'd cast his to the floor. "It was cruel, and I know how selfish it is to be mad at you for doing what you thought was necessary, but I can't help it."

"So what have you come here to achieve?" he asks, throwing up his palms and shaking his head. "You know now. You know how I feel. You know that I lied. You're angry about it, we've established that. But what more do you want from me? I can't give you what you want. I'm a teacher and you're a student and it's against every rule and I need to step up and do what's right. End things. Which I did, however I did it. So what do you want now?"

"I want you to say it!" She cries, stepping into his space and giving him a challenging look.

"So I say it, what then?" He breathes, stepping even closer.

"You say it, I walk out of here and never bring it up again," she says in a low voice, swallowing visibly.

He doesn't want that. He _needs_ that, he knows he needs her to never bring it up ever again until hopefully she can forget about him and leave school and then maybe one day he might be able to think about her without feeling like he's been hit by an arrow. But he doesn't _want_ it.

"I..." he begins, instantly noticing the way her breathing hitches and her beautiful brown eyes widen ever so slightly in anticipation. They're so close that he can feel her uneven breath on his chin, can see every single muscle movement on her face. He can even smell her shampoo. "I'm in love. With you."

Her breath seems to be taken from her, a short little gasp parting her soft lips and she just looks at him for a moment with something resembling bittersweet happiness before she's taking a tiny step back, clearly against what she wishes to do. She gives a little decisive nod, furrowing her brows while she concentrates on what to say.

"Thank you," she whispers, not meeting his gaze which is looking right at her, wishing to touch her, wishing to make this stop. This isn't how this should've been. He shouldn't have to stay away from her when every fiber in his body is asking to be closer. He shouldn't have to give her an "I love you" in the silence of his corridor on a Wednesday evening while she's crying and he wants to kiss her until everything else is forgotten. "I should get going."

Right. That. Her promise to leave as soon as he admitted his feelings.

Only she isn't making any move to go, rather she only seems to be getting a little closer before her eyes manage to swivel and meet his, her voice speaking so quietly it's barely above a breath when she requests, "kiss me."

And he does.

He doesn't even hesitate. Just drifts one hand to the nape of her neck, finding the soft warm skin and her smooth, raven hair there as he pulls her face slightly so her lips can meet his. One hand finds subtle, soft purchase on her hip as her succulent lips drift over his, merging them together so sweetly and so, so lovingly. He kisses her lips tenderly, savoring every single second that her nose lets out warm breath on his cheek, that her lips move and press and dance with his. He kisses her longingly, wishing that it never ends but knowing it has to. Soon. He kisses her desperately, knowing that this will be the last time.

And then he breaks the kiss, pulling away from her slowly, ever reluctant to be parted from the comfort that is her lips. She takes a moment to get her bearings, keeping her eyes scrunched shut before they flutter open and look right past him. It's comfortably silent, neither of them know quite what to say until she gives another decisive nod and briefly meets his eyes.

"Goodbye, Robin."

And then she's gone, leaving nothing but the faint trace of her perfume and an empty feeling in his heart.


	9. Morning After the night Before

Sooooo sorry for the delay... but I'll be posting three chapters this weekend so, y'know... I guess that's okay.

This is the morning after the last chapter so the burritos are a little down in the dumps this chapter. - x

* * *

"Regina, have you seen my white cashmere sweater anywhere?" Cora asks, flustered and clearly in a rush on Thursday morning. "I can't be late, the court case starts in under two hours and I need to get to the office and prep."

Regina stands from her slouched position at the kitchen counter and rolls her eyes, turning to see Cora shoving files into her purse in the hallway. "Is that the one that was in the pile just brought back from the dry cleaners?" She asks irritably, walking past her mother to get to the staircase.

"I think so," Cora replies, "can you check for me?"

"On it," Regina calls back, already halfway up the stairs when she spots Mary Margaret exiting her room in her uniform. "Have you seen my mothers cashmere sweater?"

"I think I saw it in the pile that Johanna picked up from the dry cleaners yesterday," the other girls shrugs, pointing to the laundry room.

Regina nods a thank you to her step sister and walks to the laundry room, skimming her hands over the piles of clothes before finding her mothers pile and sorting through it.

She's been trying. Since last night... since getting what she needed to hear from _him_ , she's been trying not to cry. She promised herself she wouldn't. And she hasn't. She's been trying to distract herself.

She completed all of her homework before bed last night, actually _listened_ to Mary Margaret yesterday at dinner, tidied her room after waking up this morning and now she's searching for mothers sweater. It's not like she wouldn't do it anyway if mother had asked, but she's basically volunteered to do it and that in itself if out of character.

Regina is trying. She's trying and she's doing well, she thinks. She hopes.

Its hard enough that she has a class with him today. She'll live up to her promise of never mentioning _them_ again. He'll avoid her like he has been. Soon enough they'll fall into a bitter routine of attitude and longing and she doesn't know what's worse. That one day she'll come to loathe him, or that right now she still loves him.

It's ridiculous, and- _ah_! She's found mothers sweater. At least one person will be pleased with today's outcome. She's not looking forward to anything that may happen after she leaves this house. She has no reason to.

Regina leaves the laundry room and almost runs into Leo at the top of the staircase. "Regina," he acknowledges gruffly, stepping out of her way disdainfully like it's the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

"Sorry," she mutters back, scooting past him and walking down the stairs to where her mother is looking at her hopefully. "Found it."

She holds out the sweater to her mother and Cora receives it with a thanks and then kisses Regina on the cheek. "Thank you dear," she nods, before turning to look at Leo. "Good morning."

He leans down to kiss Cora and Regina takes that as her cue to leave. She walks away from the disgusting display of affection between her mother and her stepfather and wanders into a kitchen of even more affection. David has arrived, his face attached to Mary Margaret's.

It's everywhere. Love is everywhere. Happy people are everywhere and it's grating on her. Like some big joke that the universe and her life are having together at her expense.

"Mary Margaret your father is downstairs," she mutters, not knowing if it's because she wants them to stop being gross in front of her or if she's trying to save David from Leopolds wrath.

She'd go with the first option, because she's not growing soft and is _not_ trying to save David and Mary from her step father telling them to stay away from each other. She couldn't care less whether Mary Margaret gets her teenage puppy love ripped away.

Could she?

The pair pull apart instantly and Mary Margaret offers Regina a grateful look which she can't help but smile shortly at. "Whoops," she swallows as her boyfriend (very attractive, mr dreamy, David Nolan) takes a bashful step away from her.

"Whatever," Regina shrugs it off, because she _isn't_ bothered. She doesn't like either of these people. She doesn't. "I'm gonna get going," she announces pointlessly, glancing up at the clock to see it's still a little early to be leaving.

As she walks out of the room she hears Davids poorly whispered _'what's wrong with her?'_ and can't help but break her promise not to cry as a tear falls down her cheek. It's not fair that she's hurting this bad.

* * *

His eyes are sandpaper and he's barely watching the road. There's a dull throb at the back of his head and on his temple. His throat is dry, his eyes are scratchy, his palms are sweaty on his leather steering wheel.

He's probably still drunk, he thinks.

It's early morning, he has work today and yet he's still drunk from last night.

Robin has never been this irresponsible.

Well, apart from the time he quit his last job carelessly when Marian broke up with him. And that other time when he almost let Marians dog (which has since died) eat chocolate from the fridge. Oh and how could he forget that other time when he was dating and fucking a student for weeks on end.

And then got drunk over their break up on a school night and was still not quite sober in the morning.

Oh _wait_ , that's right now.

His belly is all sloshy and loud, his mouth tastes like toothpaste and liquor and has he mentioned just _how_ scratchy his eyes are?

He needs to pull himself together. He can't keep being self destructive, especially not over a girl.

But she's not just a girl. She's Regina. And she's beautiful and passionate and smart and stupid and a liar and gorgeous and a freaking liar and irresistible and _oh wait_ , a liar!

But he's not supposed to be angry about that anymore. He's supposed to be over the little miss-information about her student status. And he is. Until moments like this when he just wants her kisses and cuddles and her pretty face and he can't because _they_ can't.

He parks up in the teachers car park and takes a moment to just sit in his car. He's a little fuzzy, probably won't be much use in his first lesson of the sodding morning (aka the lesson Regina is in goddamnit) and he feels like he's probably going to throw up.

He finds the car sweets he has stashed somewhere on the back seat and shoves at least four into his mouth, letting the flavour of orange, strawberry and is that... _lime?_ dance on his tongue and calm his stomach. He should've just taken the day off. Should've called in sick to avoid this atrocity of a morning that will probably follow to be an atrocity of a whole day.

But everyone knows that you cannot take a sick day in your first semester at a new teaching job. It's not a rule, it just looks bad.

After a few more moments he decides to man up and get out of the car, grateful when he's hit with a whoosh of fresh air. Today will be fine. All he has to do is _not die_ and he's done alright in the grand scheme of things.

He reaches his classroom at least ten minutes before his first lesson. He takes this time to sort out the (thankfully) pre prepared classwork and prep the video, which is over 5 minutes long, on his computer. He'd forgotten to have coffee this morning, and there isn't enough time to run to the canteen for that shit in a cup but he thinks he has a water bottle from yesterday in his drawer somewhere.

It's grim and warm when he finds it and takes a gulp. Grim and warm but somewhat refreshing compared to the state he's in now. And he stays slightly refreshed until the bell blares out its high pitched squeal, making him jump as well as grimace at the sound.

After a long moment of it still ringing, he realises that is isn't the normal bell. It's the fire bell.

He's instantly on his feet, cursing this day for being so shit to begin with, and for his divorce being finalised last night and for Regina coming over and making him tell her that he loves her and for this crappy morning and for this stupid fire alarm which _will not stop blaring._

He pushes the chair over before he realises he's done it. It tumbles to the floor in a loud clatter just as the alarm stops ringing in his ears. Huh. That worked.

He still needs to get outside, though. He knows he has to find his class and bring them back once all of the registers are taken. Where did Katherine say that the fire drill place was on his tour? Near the stables? On the-

"Robin? What are you still doing in here?" John asks out of breath as he throws open the door. "They need to register students _and_ teachers."

Robin swallows hard and shakes his head, trying to collect his bearings before looking back at John. "Right," he nods, putting one foot in front of the other and walking after John as he leaves the room.

"It's just a drill, but they take it very seriously," John adds distantly as they make their way through the corridors and out to the back of the school.

He'd never figured that there were _this_ many students. When they get outside to the field there are literally tonnes of them all standing in straight lines, different grades noticeable by the height difference.

"Thank you John. Was he the only one in there when you checked?" He hears Gold say from somewhere, but he's not even paying attention to Gold. He just needs to find his class so he can take them inside and get this crappy day over and done with.

He finds them at the end of the field. All 23 of them stood silently. This school does teach some great traits in these children.

 _Children_.

Every time he thinks of that word he's reminded that Regina is one of those _children_ and it makes his stomach churn a little. Makes him all irate and a little snappy and so when he actually goes to address his class and ends up laying eyes on her, all he can do is look away disgusted.

He doesn't mean to, but he does so anyway.

"Uhm... do you guys need to be registered?" He asks the young man stood at the front of the line, who he knows is one of _her_ friends. Graham, was it?

"No sir," he shakes his head, before indicating somewhere in the distance. "The head of our grade already registered us. All present."

Robin takes his word for it and nods. "Okay. Do you know if I can take you guys in yet?"

Graham shrugs. "I think we have to wait until-"

"Okay, well done guys. You can get back to your first class now," Katherine's soft voice calls out across the field, and instantly the students begin to walk forward.

The walk back isn't as neat as standing in the lines had been. Students are rushing, pushing past each other, walking at a snails pace or standing around waiting on their friends and it's ridiculous. They're barely even off the field when he hears Regina's voice.

"Quit shoving you idiot," she mutters from somewhere behind him, and he can't help but turn around.

Jefferson is walking next to her in the crowd.

"Well move your big ass out of the way then," Hatter snaps back, sniggering when Regina growls.

Robin grits his teeth and waits until they're a little closer. "Jefferson can you please be a gentlemen and move out of Regina's space," he sighs casually enough to seem like he's just 'teachering'.

It's Regina who's next to open her mouth. "I don't need you to stick up for me," she spits, not even looking in his direction as they continue to follow the crowed.

"See what I mean, sir," Jefferson scoffs, "I'm not the one who needs to be spoken to. She was in _my_ way."

"Okay enough of that please Jefferson," he grumbles, because this is a lose, lose situation. He can't stand Jefferson and he loves Regina but from a normal, unbiased, teachers perspective they're both being as immature as each other. He can't continue being unfair. "Just grow up, the pair of you."

* * *

She doesn't need him treating her special. She doesn't need him to fight her battles or jump in whenever she has an argument.

She doesn't need him at all.

It was ridiculous to think they could just act normal after everything they've been through. She'd never expected things to be normal and casual around them, she just doesn't want to be _around_ him at all.

Not under these circumstances.

It doesn't help that she's sat in his lesson right now. He's talking to the class calmly (looking a bit rough around the edges, if she's honest) and she's ignoring everything he's saying. She's been like this since the incident on the field and she's not ready to dig herself out of this shitty mood she's in.

Daddy used to tell her that she could drag an hour into a whole week if she tried hard enough. She could stretch a centimetre into a mile and could continue any mood as long as she saw fit. He'd say it in a way that made it sound adorable. Like he wouldn't change her for the world or the moon or all the stars in the sky.

Robin sometimes speaks to her like that.

Like she's made out of fine china and stardust. He'll chuckle through her moody phases and snappy attitude, will give her this _look_ when she's being stubborn and he will dote on her hand and foot when she's sad and she _knows_ why now.

But it's not his place anymore.

He can't try to protect her or fight her battles or feel her moods radiating off of him like sunshine on his skin. They'd promised this to one another just last night.

"Regina?" Emma whispers from beside her, blue eyes intense and focused.

"Yes?"

"My mother said yes. You can stay over tomorrow night after the party."

The party.

The party, the perfect fix for her bad mood, the place where she can get wrecked and forget about everything crappy in her life. It's tomorrow and suddenly she's a little excited.

"Thanks, Emma," she smiles, fiddling with her pen and finally listening to 'Mr Locksley's' lesson.

* * *

"Rough night was it?"

Robin turns around to the sound and Katherine's voice when he's on the way to the car park at the end of this car crash of a day.

"How could you tell?" He scoffs as she falls into step with him.

She shrugs dumbly, looking at the floor. "You looked a little tired out on the field this morning. And look a little glum now."

He isn't offended by her blunt comment. It makes him chuckle actually. Reminds him a little of-

"So what was it? Bad nights sleep? Your wife in a bad mood? Kids being loud?"

She isn't being very subtle in trying to find out his marital status, is she?

"I'm divorced," he sighs, sucking in a deep breath and shaking his head. It's not as hard to say as it used to be. "Last night... my divorce was finalised, actually. So I'm a little..."

"Say no more," Katherine says, putting a hand on his shoulder. It's not exactly a lie, about his divorce, but he certainly couldn't care less about it.

Well, he does care about it, but it's numbed in the grand scheme of things. A divorce compared to his shambles of a relationship with Regina seems like child's play to him right now.

"How long were you married?" Is her next question, and Robin thinks that if he was anyone else he'd find the question insensitive.

"Three years. We were together for five," and because he's a little of kilter right now, he pointlessly keeps on talking. "I proposed on our second anniversary, actually. Dinner reservations at The Ivy. The ring was a little too big, but she didn't seem to care. Asked me if I'd stolen it at least twice."

He can picture her face now. When he'd asked Marian to marry him. Big, shocked, brown, pretty eyes locked with the glistening jewel on her dinner plate, and then seemingly reluctant eyes when he got down on one knee. And then her delicate, red lips smiling when he slipped the ring onto her slim finger and kissed her for what seemed like forever.

The memory is sweet but it doesn't make his heart flutter like it used to. It's dull to him now, and distant. _She_ is distant. When was the last time he even thought about Marian?

He doesn't realize they've reached his car until they almost walk past it. He stops dead and blubbers over his words. "This is me," he announces, holding up his keys like she wouldn't realize he was talking about the car.

"Oh I... nice wheels," she indicates to his shiny, black Volvo. Yes, his car is nice if he says so himself.

"I'll let you get going. Hopefully you feel better tomorrow."

Robin gives her his first genuine smile of the day and nods his head. "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow?"

She returns his smile and nods. "Of course."

* * *

She's feeling better in the evening. Just after dinner she draws herself a nice bubble bath and let's her muscles relax in the smoking water, soft music playing in the background and candles illuminating the room.

She takes time to breathe in the sweet air and unwind from all of her stress. She mentally lists things she's actually stressed about, has them all set in front of her so she can sort through them.

It's therapeutic.

 _Exams_

 _Robin._

 _Being alone forever._

 _Robin._

 _Her relationship with Robin._

 _Lily Page not getting revenge for slapping her yet._

One by one, she ticks them off. Tells herself things she needs to hear;

 _You don't need to be worried about exams, Regina. You're smart and you have time._

 _Lily Page is a problematic bitch who will try and fail at whatever revenge she has planned for you._

 _Robin. Robin Robin Robin. You just need to forget about him. Once school is finished you never have to look at him again. You can move on. It's only gonna hurt for now._

 _You're not gonna be alone forever._

And then, she lists things she has to look forward to.

 _Leaving school._

 _Summer break._

 _Tinks surprise party tomorrow._

Yes. These are the things she should be thinking about. Letting loose and being free. And tomorrow will be where the good things start.

Right?


	10. Problem Party

_2nd post of the weekend, the next one will be later this evening. Disclaimer - don't hate me, these chapters are all just kinda leading up to where you want it to lead up to if you get the hint, so..._

 _\- enjoy x_

* * *

Friday's surprise doesn't exactly go the way everyone expected when 8:45pm rolls around.

It was all fine at first. Graham and Daniel had begun to set up his house for the party right after school, setting out food, tonnes of drinks, the stereo and a load of balloons. The foyer of his house had been decorated with fairy lights, the living room now had a disco ball tacked (not all too well) to the ceiling, and a "Happy Birthday Tink" banner that Emma had managed to order online was hanging above the door to the back garden, where lanterns, chairs and more food and drinks had been placed.

Graham's house is on the large side, certainly big enough to host a party with the entire twelfth grade of their school, and yet his dad is laid back enough to not care much about the damage that this party could cause to his home.

That isn't the issue, though. Far from it.

The issue is the short blonde stood on Grahams doorstep in a satin, green party dress, arms folded and eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Tink!" Regina says in expressive confusion, using her body to block the foyer behind her as she eyes her friend. "What are you doing here? We aren't meant to meet until-"

"Nine thirty? For our little friendly birthday celebration right?"

Regina doesn't know what to say. She just knows that Emma is on the phone in the kitchen ordering pizza, Graham is picking out a music play list, and Daniel is- well, probably sitting lazily on the couch drinking soda and Tink is here, forty five minutes earlier than she should be - than she _needs_ to be.

"Yeah... I-" she's interrupted by Tink pulling her phone out and shoving it into Regina's face with a knowing smirk. Some idiot posted about the party.

Damn.

"Yeah, Percy Knight kinda spilled the beans," Tink chuckles, stepping forward and easily pushing past a baffled Regina.

Maybe Daniel had been right. They should've been more careful about keeping this whole thing a surprise. Maybe been more selective about the invites. Damn Emma and her stupid plan, and damn Regina for being distracted enough recently to completely to go along with Emma.

She turns on her heal, shutting the door behind her and marching her way to the living room, where Graham is crouched by the stereo with a bunch of CD's clasped in his hands, glaring at Tinks form in the doorway, and Daniel is holding a balloon he'd probably been playing with, grimacing visibly.

"What time are the guests coming?" Tink asks, shouldering off her coat and hanging it on Grahams living room door just as Emma walks in and then stops in her tracks.

"What is she-"

"They are meant to be arriving fifteen minutes before you, so they should start arriving in around twenty minutes," Regina cuts Emma off and eyes the boys. There's no point hiding anything now that the surprise is already ruined.

"You guys are so sweet for planning all of this for me," she gestures around the room with a genuine smile. "But I'm also glad I found out beforehand or you would've had one casual looking birthday girl at her own party. Speaking of, do you like my dress?"

Her enthusiasm isn't returned. Regina, Emma, Graham and Daniel just stand awkwardly silent in the room, mulling over the disappointment of their surprise party already flopping. Tink folds her arms, ever positive, and chuckles at them all. "Guys! Come on. I'll help you out for a while here, and then I'll sneak out the back and show up when I'm supposed to so I can act surprised."

"Doesn't that kinda defeat the object? It's a party _for_ you."

"That doesn't mean I can't help out, Graham."

"Okay well I've ordered the pizza to arrive at ten," Emma says, holding up the phone she has clasped in her hand. "So I was just about to make some fruit punch. Do you wanna help me with that?"

Tink nods eagerly and follows Emma out of the room, while Regina flops down onto the sofa with a heavy sigh. "Arthur's best buddy posted about it," she answers the boys' silent question.

"What a dick," Daniel rolls his eyes.

"I don't think he quite got the memo that it was a surprise. It was a silly idea anyway. Everyone in twelfth grade keeping a Friday night party quiet? Someone was bound to spill," she reasons.

* * *

"Robin mate!" Killian welcomes him with a slap to the back as he rounds to the other side of the bar. "Back so soon?"

"Don't, Killian," Robin grumbles, not in the mood for any kind of humor at the moment.

Killian sucks in a breath and raises his eyebrows. "Serious then, huh?" He acknowledges, before moving behind the bar and pouring Robin a drink despite the fact he's already bought one. Killian does this usually. Gives Robin drinks on the house when he's in a shit mood. "The girl... the one you were on about the other week. This about her?"

Robin nods and downs his first drink before accepting the other from Killian. "Yeah. Marians divorce came through and I'm not even upset about it. A month ago I would've been devastated. I would've been here drinking about that. Now... now it's not even upsetting me," he cringes, "I should be upset, Kill'. I should be more upset about my 3 years of marriage being down the drain than about a stupid three week fling."

"Mate," Killian leans forward on the bar and orders Robin to look at him. It's a rarity that Killian is serious about something. A rarity that he gives good advice. "When you're in love... it isn't about time. You and Marian were married for years but you were drifting apart before she called it quits. You know that. But you and this girl, from what I gather, still love each other. And you ended so soon, in the honeymoon phase. She helped heal you after your divorce and then she was ripped away before either of you were ready."

"She's not dead, Killian," Robin rolls his eyes, because while Killian is right, so, so right, he's being a bit dramatic with the 'ripped away' shit.

Killian snickers, ever the good sport, and nods. "I know, I know. But it makes it harder knowing she's out there somewhere, and it would be so easy to see her face, and you're so ready to be together but this external thing is keeping you apart."

He's talking about Milah, Robin realizes. Milah is the woman that Killian is utterly besotted with, but she's married. Married and not willing to break up her marriage because of her son.

The pain is so relatable. That you just want to be with someone but an outside force is in the way.

"How is Milah, by the way?" Robin asks, because it's a change to talk about someone else's relationships for once.

Killian shrugs. "She's good. Really good. I haven't spoken to her in about a week but last I heard, she's just gotten back from holiday."

"Good," Robin smiles, taking a swig of his whiskey.

They're comfortably silent for a moment, but after a few more sips on whatever it is that Killian is drinking, he asks; "you never did say what happened with you and your lass the other week," and Robin's heart freezes.

He trusts Killian, he really does, he knows he'd never breathe a word to anybody but... he doesn't want Killian's opinion to change on him. Doesn't want to be judged about this.

"You'd hate me if I told you," Robin responds, taking back a large gulp of his drink and then slamming it down a little too hard.

"Mate, I'd never judge you," he reasons, and they're not even looking at each other. Both are staring at their drinks and at the soft wood on the bar, Killian on the serving side even though he's finished working now.

"With this, you would."

Killian sighs and downs the rest of his drink, and then re fills his glass and tops Robins up while he's at it. Clearly Killian is also in a bitter drinking mood. "You don't have to tell me anything, I'm just here for moral support and a good drink. And I can only help out if I know what the issue is."

He'll blame the buzz of alchohol and his foul mood in the morning. He'll blame the dim lighting of the bar and the quiet background noise. It's the type of setting that just has you wanting to tell stuff. He'll probably blame himself more, though. Blame himself for telling Killian everything.

"She goes to the school I work at."

Killians eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, the leather of his jacket rubbing and squeaking when he leans his elbows on the bar. "What... is there a no colleague policy? Why wouldn't I judge y-"

"She's not a colleague."

It takes quite a while for it to set in. For Killian to realize what his friend is telling him. "I... uh- I... that bird? With the dark hair? From a few weeks back. She's a st-"

"Yes!" Robin hisses, leaning forward a little so Killian will keep his voice down. Hardly any people are in the bar which is why Killian finished early and let Walsh sort them out, but Robin still doesn't like it being said out loud.

"Mate..." Killian grimaces, and here it is, Robin thinks. Here's the judgement and disgust and- "I'm so sorry. That shit is... tough. She didn't look that young though. She had ID and everything. You weren't supposed to know."

Robins heart warms a little. A huge clump of weight taken from his shoulders and instead replaced by less dread than before. Somebody knows, somebody that isn't him or Regina or Regina's friend. Somebody that isn't judging him.

"We... slept together a few times. And then she told me her real age. She said eighteen but I assumed she'd be turning nineteen this year. But she'd only just turned eighteen in February."

"Shit," Killian nods, a sympathetic and confused look plastered on his face. "And you continued after you found out her age?"

Robin rolls his eyes and takes the final gulp of his drink. "Don't," he rasps as the liquid burns its way down his throat. "She's had sex before and she said it was only fun. I thought we'd fuck for a few days or whatever, she's young and hot, and then we'd go about our separate ways. I was still wrecked over the divorce so I didn't really care. I didn't expect feelings or complications or for her to show up at my school. And now I see her every day in the uniform and it's a constant reminder that we can't be together and that what we did was wrong but I still love her. So much."

Killian fills Robins glass once again. "I know it's... wrong, but have you thought about-"

"No," Robin cuts him off. "I've been unprofessional enough. I can't continue a relationship with her after finding out she's a student. Whatever happened before I knew... that was because I had no idea. But it would be crossing the line to not end it now that I know.

"What about when she leaves?"

A pang goes to Robins heart as soon as Killian says it. He's thought about this before and the outcome hurts him. "She'll go off to college. I don't think there would've been a chance with us even if we continued now because she's got her heart set on college and so does her mother. She'll go off and meet some great guy and she'll be her normal, crazy, beautiful, wild self while I'll be stuck here in the same suspended purgatory."

* * *

The party is in full swing and has been for the past hour and a half. It's a hit, already (of course), and even Tink (despite finding out the surprise before they could surprise her) still insists that she's shocked at the outcome. Almost their whole grade has shown up, alongside a few tag along's and the odd rebel from the grade below, but all in all it's successful and being enjoyed by everyone here. Music is booming loudly from the next room, filling the house and garden with Grahams choice of playlist, almost drowning out the sound of chatter and dancing from the many guests.

"You really know how to throw a party, Regina," Elsa chuckles from beside the fruit punch bowl, refilling her cup and then turning to face the other girl. "I just wanna know who invited the younger years."

Regina glances around at a few of the eleventh graders and rolls her eyes. "Party crashers," she scoffs in reply, knocking back a shot and then giving Elsa her cup to fill with punch.

"I like your dress."

"Thanks," Regina smiles, looking down at her spaghetti strapped black bodycon dress and then indicates to Elsa's similar blue one. "I like yours too."

"Thanks," Elsa chuckles, returning Regina's cup. Suddenly, Tink pops up from behind them chewing on a cheesy pizza slice.

"Pizza's in the living room. Get some before it's gone."

Regina raises an eyebrow and then pushes past both blondes, rushing past three drunk teens in the doorway and heading towards the front room.

She's starving, she loves pizza and she pre payed for all of them so she will damn well get a slice-

"Regina!" Emma pulls her into the storage closet by Grahams stairs, and she lets out a yelp of surprise as she's dragged into the dark by her best friend.

"Emma!" She hisses, slapping her best friends bare arm as she retracts her other away. "What are you doing? We have a party to host?"

"I know, I just need to tell you something that you cannot repeat," she exclaims, the strong scent of the alcoholic fruit punch filling the small space between them. Regina indicates for her to go on and she lets out a breath. "Graham and I made out."

Regina screws up her face despite the fact that Emma probably can't make out her expression in the dark. "So? You've done that and much more with him before."

"Yeah, but it's the first time since we've been official. Since we've been exclusive."

"While I'm ecstatic for you, I was just on my way to the room where the pizzas have just arrived and I could really use a slice before they're all gone," she rolls her eyes and pushes the door open, only to hit somebody passing by hard enough to make them stumble. "Shit I'm... Oh."

"What?" Percy mutters, straightening up and brushing off his pristine white Ralph Lauren polo top and brown Levi's with one hand. Emma looks him up and down in disapproval and stalks off toward the rowdy kitchen.

" _You_ posted about the party," Regina steps forward and jabs him in the chest.

He scoffs at her. "So what?"

"Did you not read the bold print on the invite? It was supposed to be a surprise!" She has to yell a little over the noise of the hallway, and she almost slips forward when two people barge past her, obviously hearing about the pizza in the living room. Pizza which she had actually been on her way to get. "You know what, I actually don't care," she says, going to step past him before he stops her.

"I didn't see it."

"What?" She growls in frustration, meeting his eyes.

"The invite," he shrugs, "didn't see it. Just asked what those colorful flyers everyone was holding were and then got told there was a party Friday. Hosted by you guys, who we all know are the best hosters in our grade."

"Thanks," she mumbles distantly, hearing somebody shout about missing out on the pizza in the living room. "Great, now the pizza is gone."

Percy raises an eyebrow and purses his lips, seemingly mulling over something for a moment before he indicates upstairs.

"What?" She snaps, folding her arms across her body.

"Why don't we go ups-"

"Ew! No! Never!" She cries, stepping back to put some distance between them. "I'm not even _that_ drunk!" She may not be hammered, but she's started to feel the hazy affects of alcohol and the blur of coherency that comes with it.

A look of disgust forms on his face and he shakes his head. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Mills. I don't want to rendezvous with you in my friends bedroom, I snuffed a box of pizza and wanted to know if you wanted to share," he pulls the box that's slightly crumpled in the hand he's had behind his back since she'd crashed into him.

 _Oh_.

"Oh... I don't know. Can't you just give me a slice here?" She asks, slight embarrassed blush coming to her cheeks.

"You only want one slice?"

"Well how many are in there?"

He smirks at her. "It's just over half a whole pizza," he replies smugly. "And if you want more than one slice, we can't munch in the hallway or go in the living room. The box will get snatched straight away."

And he's right. They cant stand in Grahams hallway between the stairs and kitchen while dozens of drunk and hungry teenagers are shoving around, and if they go the living room or kitchen to eat someone is bound to take the entire box.

"Go up, I'll meet you in like two minutes," she says quietly, returning his smirk and then rushing off to the kitchen.

When she gets there she knocks back yet another shot, fills up two cups of fruit punch (she has absolutely no idea where hers disappeared to between being dragged into the closet by Emma and agreeing to have a secret pizza feast with Percy), and then shoves past a party crasher or two on the way to the stairs.

She stumbles up rather ungracefully, surprised that the cups are still full when she reaches Grahams second landing and she heads over to his bedroom, where she is greeted by the most unpleasant surprise of Ruby, one of her sworn enemies, half naked and on top of none other than Jefferson Hatter.

"Oh God!" She cringes, backing out of the room, trying to blink away the image of Ruby's barely there underwear and Jeffersons hand on her ass.

"In here, Mills," she turns to the sound of Percy Knight's voice coming from what she knows as Grahams fathers bedroom.

She walks over, still wearing a disgusted expression as she hands him a drink. "Do not spill that in here," she breathes as he closes the door, leaving them in a low light.

"I'm guessing you just walked in on what I happened to stumble upon just a moment ago," he chuckles, hopping onto the bed and opening the pizza box.

"Don't," she shakes her head and closes her eyes, now wishing she would get so drunk that the image would disappear from her mind forever. She takes a slice of cooling pizza from the greasy box and chews into a mixture of sizzling cheese and pepperoni.

"Not so pissed off at me now are you?" He smirks, sipping his fruit punch before taking a bite of his own slice.

"This just about makes up for you posting about the party," she rolls her eyes. "Just. About."

They're comfortably silent for a few minutes, munching on pizza and sipping fruit punch, smiling at one another here and there before he's putting down his cup and eyeing her.

"What?"

He shrugs. "Nothing. Just wondering why everyone thinks there's something wrong with you."

Her eyes widen and she puts an indignant hand to her chest. "Excuse me?"

"Well everyone's saying you've been pissier yet quieter than usual. And word on the street says that you slapped Page in the face," he replies.

"I did hit Lily Page in the face," she scoffs. "But I'm not proud of it. And I'm not pissy either."

"You're always moody, Mills. It's part of your character."

Her mouth gapes in shock at his sudden bravery. "I don't think you and I have even spoken since like eighth grade. You know nothing of my character."

"Not true. We were lab partners in tenth grade," he points out, picking up the last slice of pizza and offering it to her. She declines and he takes a bite out of it.

"Oh yeah. So we were," she remembers, adjusting herself on the bed and reaching for her drink on the night stand. He watches her retrieve her cup and then looks as if he gets an idea, before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a flask.

"Something much stronger," he answers her silent question and pours some into both of their cups before returning to their previous conversation. "I also think you bumped into me at a party last year."

"That was ten minutes ago," she rolls her eyes and sips the now marginally stronger fruit punch.

He frowns for a moment and then shakes his head. "Nah. I think it's happened before too," he responds, before chewing the rest of his slice and asking with a mouthful; "so why'd you hit her?"

"Huh?"

"Page. Why'd you hit her?"

She sighs and fiddles with her hands before swallowing the lump that forms in her throat. Memories of crying on the bathroom floor over Robin, Lily managing to hit the spot with her insults, and then the self loathing for everything coming after flitter through her mind.

"I hit Lily because I was upset," she breathes out, not looking up from her hands.

"About?"

She snaps her head up and glares at him. "None of your business. And anyway, that's not the point. The point is that I hit her because she pissed me off when I was upset. Does that answer your question?"

"And in literature when you kicked off at Hatter? He said something about Colter... is that why-"

"I was upset that day too. And it wasn't just because he brought up Daniel - me and Daniel are way over - it was just because it was a bad day and a bad lesson and-"

"Woah, calm down," he raises an eyebrow, and it's only now that she realizes her fists are clenched are her voice had been raising slightly. "Jheeze, must've been a whole cluster of bad days."

"Shut up," she mutters, taking another swig from the cup and then narrowing her eyes at him. "Didn't you and buddy boy have a fight just a few weeks ago?"

"If you're referring to Arthur and I, everyone got that wrong."

"Oh yeah?" She sits forward, a little intrigued.

"Lance hit on Guen and it was out of line, and Arthur wanted to fight him but I stopped him an in return I got..." he pauses to lift his polo shirt a little, revealing a fading bruise on his side.

 _Don't let your eyes linger. Don't let your eyes liner._

She swallows hard, gulping down the rest of her drink when she responds: "ouch."

"I know," he nods, "but I'm not mad. He wasn't thinking straight and he apologized right away."

"I never even said sorry to Lily," Regina slurs distantly, "I didn't apologize and she didn't even kick off."

"You shouldn't have to," she hears him say, and she snaps her head to meet his eyes so fast that she goes a little dizzy. "She's a bitch."

"That's true," she chuckles.

"And she probably deserved it," he reasons.

"Not this time," she responds quietly, shaking her head at him. "This time I think _I_ took it too far."

"Well I'm sure she deserved it for being a bitch those other times," he smirks.

"Why are you doing that?"

"What?"

"Trying to make out my behavior is okay. Making it seem like it's her fault."

"Maybe I just really don't like her," he shrugs, looking at her intently before letting his voice drop. "Or maybe I just really like _you_."

When he leans in an inch and kisses her easily, it's only now she realizes how close they'd gotten. She's surprised and confused at the same time, she hadn't even been able to process what he'd said before the flavor of pizza and their drinks became more prominent in her mouth, his lips on hers, hand on her cheek, her knee squashed somewhere awkwardly between them as she tries to work out what's happening.

She knows, of course. She knows he's kissing her and she's letting him. She knows one of his hands is running up her thigh, she knows one of her hands is roaming his chest, and for some reason she knows she isn't stopping it.

She's responding eagerly, in fact. Quickening their movements, pulling him down with her as she lays back onto the bed, empty cup and pizza box long forgotten.

She feels alive and she feels good and his hands are soft yet rough on her bare legs.

It's nice being close to someone again. It's making her _feel_ something other than the happy front she puts up in front of everyone. It's bringing back memories of being held, of being right back there, with _him_.

His hands are hiking up her dress, palming at her thighs as she pulls and pulls at his polo. It's off and over his head before either of them realize, and her nails dig softly into his shoulders, scraping at his warm skin.

When his hands get closer to where she wants them, she can't help but plead for more, groaning something that not even her sober mind could probably work out, and then "Robin," she whispers.

The moment is gone.

Percy pulls back instantly, frown adorning his features. "What?" He whispers out of breath, resting on his arm by her head and keeping the other on his thigh so he can hover over her.

"What?" She groans, mind hazed with a mixture of alcohol and wanting to get back to what they'd been doing. The drunk make out, the numbing distraction from everything else. From Robi-

 _Oh_.

"Did I just-"

"Call me Robin?" He scoffs, nodding his head and rubbing his hand against her leg. "Kinda bruised my ego."

"Sorry," she mumbles quietly. "It's complicated."

He raises an eyebrow but not in surprise. It's more of an expressive understanding. "Well I can take your mind off it if you-"

The door bursts open suddenly, the bright flash of a camera momentarily hazing her vision for a few seconds before the unmistakable voice of Lily Page drips its way to Regina's ears. "Classy, Mills," she drawls, eyes narrowing at the shocked pair.

Regina's heart begins to thump hard against her chest in both fear and anger. Fear of what such a photograph would do, and anger at the girl who'd taken it. In an instant, she shoves Percy off of her and swings her legs around so she can easily stand from the bed. "What the fuck, Page?!"

Lily smirks and shifts her lanky body to lean against the door frame. "When I heard that you were seen heading in here with Knight over fifteen minutes ago I couldn't help but take the opportunity to ruin you," she chuckles lightly, waving her phone around. "I mean, your friends dads bedroom, getting it on with one of the jocks? Trashy much?"

"Delete the fucking picture Lily," she growls, taking one step forward but then stopping. She wont let her anger take over again.

"Oh, alright," she concedes, unlocking her phone and tapping away. Regina sighs in relief and thanks every lucky star for how easy that was. She turns to look at a silent Percy who's eyeing Lily, offering him a nervous smile. They'll have to talk about what the affects of alcohol and pent up hurt had led them to almost stupidly do, and that isn't a conversation she's looking forward to. "Oops."

Regina snaps her attention back to Lily, eyes widening as she takes in the smug expression on her face. "What?" She snaps.

"I think I got the 'delete' button, and the 'post' button confused," she grimaces mockingly, before laughing out loud and directing her next statement at Regina. "Payback is so good."

"Are you serious!?" Regina exclaims, marching over to Lily who quickly backs out of the room and runs down the stairs. Regina follows after her, taking swift yet unsteady steps all the way to the living room where she grabs Lily and pushes her. "Take it down!"

The rowdy room barely notices the altercation, their shouts overtaken by the music and chatter of everybody else. "No." The brunette replies to the raven haired girl, challenging her to do something else.

"Take the fucking picture down!"

"No!" Lily shouts, shoving Regina back into something hard and human. She turns to find out that it's Emma, looking less than impressed. "Oh look, it's the other one."

"Did you just fucking push my friend?" Emma slurs, stepping forward and getting in Lilys face.

"This doesn't concern you, barbie," Lily rolls her eyes.

"Damn right it does," Emma scoffs, "that's my best friend."

"Woah, Emma calm down," Graham makes his presence known, holding onto the blondes arm and pulling her back a little.

"Yeah Emma, calm down," Lily parrots. That's seemingly the last straw for Emma, because before anyone can stop her she raises an arm and punches Lily straight in the jaw.

A few people around them stop dancing and step back with wide eyes, snickering at what they'd just seen. Regina bites her lip and pulls Emma away, the picture long forgotten as she takes her friends fist into her hand. "Is your hand okay?"

Emma grimaces and yanks back her arm, shaking it a little and then hissing in pain. "She's got a tough jaw," the blonde responds, turning to look at the few decent people who are holding Lily back.

"Lets get you some ice," Graham suggests, putting an arm around Emma and nodding his head for Regina to follow. They go through to the kitchen where Regina takes a spoon and scoops out some of the melting ice from next to the drinks, not bothering to go all the way to the freezer. She hands the spoon to Graham who wraps the ice in a paper towel and then holds it out to Emma. "Wanna tell me what all that was about?" He directs his question to Regina.

She sighs heavily as she hazily recalls that Lily had taken quite an inappropriate photo, and dread washes over her again. "She posted... something. A photo. And I need her to delete it. If my mother sees it or any colleges-"

"What was the photo?" Graham interrupts, frowning as he tends to Emma's hand.

"It was-"

"Mills and Knight hooked up in daddy Humbert's bedroom," someone cries in laughter as they waltz stupidly into the kitchen, not even looking chastened when they realize who's in the room. "Looking hot Mills. This is gonna be my screensaver."

"Knock it off Hans," Graham mutters, leaving Emma for a moment to grab the boys phone. Hans protests but doesn't reach for his phone back as Graham inspects the picture. He grimaces.

"Is it bad?" Regina whines, craning her neck to see the phone Graham is holding. And yes, the image is bad.

She's laying on her back as Percy hovers over her, shirtless, face close to her face. He looks like he's saying something, and his hand is gripping her arched leg and hiking up her dress. The image is slightly grainy due to the low light of the room but you can see where they're... pressed together closely. And it's a clear enough image to be able to tell who they are.

She is so fucked.

"I'm so sorry we did that in your dads room, Graham," Regina slurs, palming her hand to her face. "I mean we didn't actually have sex but we ate food and made out and... I'm sorry."

Graham sighs and hands Hans back his phone before placing a hand on Regina's arm. "Hey, its fine, honestly. What we need to worry about is how we're going to get Lily to-"

"Delete the photo?" They glance up to see Elsa smiling in the doorway. "I already made her do it. Let's just hope nobody screen shotted it."

Regina smiles genuinely back at Elsa before slumping again. "Somebody was bound to. Probably her two evil sidekicks and some horny teens," Regina groans, lifting her head to get a look at Emma. The blonde isn't paying attention to anyone. She's just humming and holding her injured hand. "And now this idiot is involved."

Emma remains in her own world as Graham goes back over to her chuckling. "Well technically, the entire beef with Lily originated because Emma couldn't keep her hands to herself."

This time Emma snaps out of it and gives Graham what can only be assumed as a poorly given glare. "Not my fault Neal liked me."

"It was Neals choice to like you. Your choice to break the 'girlfriend code' and get with him."

"Alright children, let's not already start your first couples argument," Regina steps in. "The problem here is that there is now a photo of me out there which, should it get into the wrongs hands, may ruin my entire life."

"I don't think it's that deep, Regina," Graham huffs. "While I sympathize that it is an... awful photo to have everybody see, I don't think-"

"If it gets to my mother then I'll be grounded until I'm 45, I'll never see daylight again and you can count out me hosting any more parties. If a college sees it they might not accept me. Especially Harvard or-"

"Regina," Emma yells, causing Regina to cease her speaking. "Harvard isn't going to look into a photo of you. They also can't prove that it's you if they see it. They aren't likely to even see it anyway. If your mother sees it... yeah you're fucked with that one."

Regina folds her arm and closes her eyes. "I just can't believe she would stoop this low. It's ruined the whole party."

"Speak for yourself," Emma smirks. "I got to punch Lily Page in the face. And you got a hot make out session with Percy Knight. And you danced earlier. This is just a..."

"Downer?" Regina supplies, snapping her eyes open. "Yeah a fucking huge downer. I'm never going to live this down. Everyone is gonna see me with a hiked skirt under a jock who has his hands all over me. I'm a total slut."

This time Elsa steps forward with a cup in her hand and holds it out to Regina. "Hey, you're not a slut. You're a genius in math who helps me with my answers but you're definitely no slut. Lily's little friend Ruby has done all of this and _then_ some."

Regina frowns in intrigue and eyes Elsa. This could be... vital information. "You were close with Ruby once, weren't you?"

"Yeah before she ditched our group and totally snaked us a few months back," Elsa spits with disdain. "And she was just awful to my little sister."

"You used to share a lot... right?"

It finally clicks, and Elsa seems to understand where she's going. "A _lot_. Where would you like me to start?"


	11. Bitter Beverage

_Excuse any mistakes, I haven't actually had time to proofread this chapter but, let's just say it's not very content heavy. For those of you asking, yes this story is an OQ endgame but I can't stress enough that,_ realistically _(yes I'm using that word again) they wouldn't break up over something this serious and get back together within a few weeks. And I know this is "fan fiction" but I still want it to be somewhat believable. I've read slowburns_ way _slower and cruler than this one so if you don't like it, you don't have to read. But I'm telling you... sooooooon! - enjoy x_

* * *

He's surprised when he finds himself in the school canteen early on Monday morning.

He's not partial to the schools coffee, nor does he particularly like paying the steep price they have for the awful quality, but this morning he finds himself with a craving for caffeine even after his home made cup earlier on. He has his first year lit students again today, and despite them being quiet and well behaved when he'd first started teaching them, they've grown into a rowdy and cheeky bunch.

"Morning, Locksley," Archie Hopper mumbles with a quick nod as he walks by, holding a croissant in a crumpled napkin. Robin nods back and watches the man leaving the room, before stepping in front of the grumpy looking lady at the counter.

"What can I get ya?" She asks gruffly, straightening out her apron and then leaning in front of the till.

Robin clears his throat and points to the morning menu board. "Just a filter coffee please. White."

The woman nods and turns to the machine, pulling out a paper cup and placing it under the coffee maker. He stands awkwardly for a moment, looking around the almost empty canteen apart from a few students slumped at tables with revision books or plates of breakfast food.

After a minute or so he hears the woman at the counter clear her throat, and upon turning around he sees her holding out his coffee. "That's four dollars fifty," she says as he takes the cup... and oh yeah, that steep price.

He fumbles in his blazer pocket and pulls out a five dollar bill, hands it to her and then mumbles that she can keep the change.

Thievery. That's all school canteens are.

He opens the large oak doors and heads into the foyer, and the school is starting to fill up a little more now. A few students by their lockers and walking in with their friends, talking on phones.

Or looking _at_ their phones mostly.

He walks to towards the staircase, sipping the bitter beverage and grimacing at the poor taste.

"You should try the café around the corner," he hears somebody say from behind him. Robin stops and turns, noticing a blonde with a grey hat on walking up the stairs with a coffee cup different to his. "Cheaper and better tasting coffee for sure."

When she gets closer he begins to recognise her, not by face but by description. John had told him about Mallory Page the science teacher, blonde hair, red lips, sly smile and vintage dress style.

"I wasn't planning on getting a cup until I realized how early I was," he replies, starting to walk once more once they were beside one another.

She scoffs and shakes her head. "No matter how early I am or desperate I am, I will never buy that overpriced shit in a cup," Mallory mutters.

"It is pretty awful," he admits, "so where is this nearby café?"

They stop at the top of the stairs, him more out of breath than her, and she offers him a sly smirk. "Meet me here at lunch and I'll take you to it," she says, and he has to take a moment to process what she's asking him. "Later, Mr Locksley."

He stands for a moment a little dumbfounded after she walks away. Did she just... are they... it's not a date.

While Mallory is... rather attractive (very, very attractive) he doesn't ever mix business with pleasure (intentionally) and recently he's had enough complicated women in his life to last him a while.

Still, he's intrigued and does need to become acquainted with the immediate area, so maybe finding a nice spot for lunch isn't such a bad idea.

And like he said, Mallory is attractive.

* * *

He's in third period when he sees it.

He'd been in a chirpier mood than before. Third period is the lesson before lunch and he was really looking forward to some good coffee, so he'd let the rude behaviour slide.

The rude behaviour of students being on their phones.

Only he hadn't realised, at first. He'd known a few of them were sniggering, passing the phone around, and he'd let it slide assuming it would die down. And after two minutes he'd told them to put the phone away.

They didn't listen.

It's the class he has with that chirpy girl in the front row. The one he now knows is Regina's step sister. Most of them are well behaved but the group at the back, the group he had taken the phone off of, are the rowdy lot.

But the phone he's holding in his hand is like fire burning through his palm, heat spreading through his veins as he stares and stares and stares at the picture on it.

Regina.

Regina under some random _shirtless_ guy, you can't see his face since he's looking at her but you can see _her_ clearly. Dress hiked up, his hands all over her, blurry facial expression.

He doesn't mean to snap, but he does.

"What do you think you're doing?" He spits at the boys, holding the phone up and glaring at them. "Who took this photo!?"

The boys seem to look a little shocked, but the one right at the back answers. "We don't know. It's just going around. I-"

"What and you're sat in my lesson looking at it? Mr Gold will hear about this!" He seethes, even though he knows that Mr Gold will not be hearing about this. Regina could get into trouble, big trouble, and he knows how her mother is. Strict and cruel and certainly rather unforgiving. "I'm keeping this phone until the end of the day."

The bell rings not three minutes later, and once the students have left the room Robin makes it his mission to find her.

How could she do this?

Be so irresponsible. Gallivanting half naked with guys, getting herself photographed, betraying _him_ but _not_ betraying him because they're not together. They've discussed this. They can't be.

But still he can't help it. He's mad and a little disappointed and if he's honest, protective, because this photo is going around the school. For everyone's eyes to see, and that isn't a good thing.

She's probably mortified. Probably upset and scared and-

And when he sees her, she isn't. She's talking to Emma and another guy. A guy he swears is the young man in the photo. And she's laughing, properly. One of those real laughs where her eyes close, her head tilts back and the sound flutters from her mouth like a harmony. One hand on her belly, the other stretched out in front of her like she's telling them to stop making her laugh.

It melts his heart for a moment as he stares at her, but then he remembers. The photo.

* * *

Well _this_ is a surprise.

Who knew that Percy Knight was _funny_?

He's always been so jocky, and footbally, and a little bit straight faced and hot, but she's barely ever said more than a sentence to him at a time.

Yet standing here now, by her locker with him and Emma, he's really making her belly hurt with giggles.

"I'm serious!" He says, voice high pitched due to being out of breath from laughter, "her face was class! She was all like 'no way did you just take me on a date, find out loads of information and then tell me you're ditching' it was priceless!"

She chuckles again, picturing the look on Ruby's face when she realized the whole date on Sunday night with Percy had been a set up.

Elsa had come up with the idea at Fridays party. They set Ruby up, got gossip and juice about her little friendship group on a date with Percy on Sunday, and they're now holding it as blackmail for whenever they need to be put in their place.

"And she honestly told you all of that stuff?" Emma chuckles, wiping tears from her eyes.

Percy shrugs and nods his head, looking at Regina. "She had two drinks in her system. Thought that I hated _you_ and helped Lily set up the photo. But her face when she caught on..."

They all laugh again, Regina more than the other two because finally, _finally_ they can keep Lily off their backs.

And then an unwanted voice is interrupting her laughter, sending her glee plummeting to the floor and below.

"Mills, can I talk to you for a minute?" His voice is _stern_ and _sure_ and a little _pissed_ , and it has her throwing open her eyes right away and turning to face him.

Definitely pissed.

His jaw is tense and his eyes are glaring into her, and his breathing sounds sharp and laboured. She instantly knows that he _knows_.

"I'll be one second guys," she says, mainly to Emma, because Emma knows that she's needs to have this conversation. And then she follows Robin down the corridor and to his classroom.

He locks the door, closes the blinds and _oh no_ , this is not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"You know what, Regina?" He snaps as soon as he turns to face her, slamming a phone onto the desk in front of her and putting his hands on his hips like some sort of angry teache-

Whatever.

"I really, _really_ ," he stops to suck in a breath, and then points to the phone on the desk. "I really hope you don't know about that photo."

Fucking idiot.

"Of course I do!" She spits, folding her arms and glaring at him.

"So why the fuck are you stood out there laughing?"

She chuckles bitterly and picks up the phone. "So I'm not allowed to laugh because of a photo that's gonna die down in a few days?"

"No, you're not allowed to laugh," he says. "You should be worried. What if a teacher finds that?"

She laughs again, but humorous this time. "I thought you _were_ a teacher."

"That's not what I meant! What if a teacher sees this and takes it to mr Gold? He'll show your mother. Not to mention that you should be fucking mortified that people are looking at this-"

"Stop telling me how I should feel!"

"Well then act like you feel something! Jesus Christ, you're stood out there laughing with the guy who's half naked and on top of you in this photo like nothing's happened! This is-"

"What? You're jealous?" She sniggers, unfolding her arms and pointing at him. "Of course you are."

"No, Regina, I'm not," he blinks at her, indicating to the phone in her hand. "I just want to know how to fix this situation."

She calms down a little then, sighing heavily before shaking her head. "If you're that interested, I _was_ worried. I still am. But me being a nervous wreck isn't going to fix anything. Of course I'm worried about teachers and colleges and my mother finding this, but you can barely tell that it's me. And these things usually die down in a week."

Regina sees him visibly relax a little, and then he nods his head. "Who took it?"

"Lily Page," she responds, leaning on the desk to the side of her. "We made her delete the original but obviously people had seen it and screenshotted it by then."

"Right," he says, fiddling a little, looking around the room like he wants to say something.

She swallows hard and waits him out. Waits for him to say whatever it is he wants to say because to be honest, she hasn't been very fair.

He was worrying about her and she just laughed her way through it. Now that she knows that, she can't help but feel bad and charmed at the same time. He's still trying to look after her.

"So, the guy in the photo?"

There it is. The killer question, the one he probably doesn't think he'll like the answer to. The one that has heat spreading through her a little because he's disappointed that she's moving on.

She isn't.

"Percy Knight," she mumbles, biting her lip and looking at Robin who is still a squirming a little. "He's a jock, I'm sure we were lab partners at some point," he nods at her answer and she smiles at him. "We just hooked up at the party because I was drunk and a little reckless but I don't... like him like that."

Robin exhales and closes his eyes for a second.

Regina's smile widens and then she asks softly, "anything else, mr Locksley?"

He opens his eyes and chuckles, looks a little less tense than before and shakes his head. "Don't," he groans comically, and she's glad that they can at least laugh about it now. "It's weird enough when you say it in class."

She's about to say something funny, about to make a comment and finish it with _'sir'_ to rile him up a little more, but then there's a light knock at the door. Robin looks just as confused as her, for a few seconds, before he obviously realizes what he's forgotten.

"Locksley? It's Mallory... I thought we were meeting at the stairs to go for lunch?"

Regina's eyebrows raise to her hairline and her heart pinches just a little for no reason. She swallows the lump in her throat and indicates for Robin to open the door before it starts to look suspicious.

He does so, and Ms Page looks at her as soon as she walks in.

"Color me surprised, if it isn't Regina Mills in trouble again," the woman smirks, and Regina doesn't want to smile but she does. Mallory has always been kind and tolerant of her. Always sticks up for her (as deputy head) when she's been in bigger trouble than usual. Even knowing about the conflict between her daughter and Regina, she doesn't treat her any differently. "What have you done this time?"

It's Robin who clears his throat and speaks up, stepping to the side a little and shrugging his shoulders. "Actually, she's not in any trouble this time. I was congratulating her on how well her most recent essay was written."

Mals eyebrows rise and fall, before she frowns a little. "Well, if it's not trouble than it's good work. But why was the door locked?"

Regina's heart beats fast and she gulps, fiddling with her hands behind her back. "Well..." she stutters, looking to the door and seeing students walking around the corridor. "I didn't want anyone to know. Lest Jefferson or your daughter walks in and hears I'm going soft."

Mal laughs loudly and throws her head back, putting a hand on Robins shoulder to steady herself. "Only Regina Mills would be worried about being seen getting praised," she chuckles, "but anyway, we are off to The GH for lunch, so if the praising is done, can I please borrow Mr Locksley?"

They both cringe.

"Yeah, of course," Regina says convincingly, stepping out of their way and then heading towards the door. "I'll see you in science this afternoon Mal."

"Later, your majesty," she calls after Regina.

It takes Regina a moment after walking out of the room for her to feel the little pit in her stomach. They're just teachers having lunch, right? Mal is too old for Robin... right? All teachers hang out. It's their thing... right?

It's not her business anyway. Her and Robin have come to terms with being over, and while it's sore, they're dealing with it well.

Mallory Page is no threat to her. She's the harsh teacher who's always had Regina's back whilst also being stern with her. She's an ally, Regina needs to remember that.

* * *

"I take it you forgot about our lunch?" Mal asks him as they exit the school to the teachers car park. "Or did you just _really_ not want to go?"

Robin looks chastened for a moment, and gives her a look of disbelief before she chuckles at him. She's kidding, he realizes. Making him feel bad about being so late.

"Do you wanna take your car or mine," she asks once her chuckles die down, adujusting her purse on her shoulder. "Or we could walk?"

He mulls over it and clears his throat, "I think we should take your car. You know the way and I think we left it a little too late to walk there and back by the time lunch ends."

Mal _'ah's_ like he's just made the smartest comment ever and then stops by a black Mini Cooper. "Well then, our carriage awaits."

It's a short drive to the diner. He recognizes it as the one he zooms past most mornings on the way to the school but he's never actually stopped to look at. It's classic American style, from what he can see through the window, and outside is homey and welcoming.

"Don't be fooled," Mal mutters when she parks up, eyeing him and somehow reading his mind. "The GH stands for 'the Gingerbread House' and the woman who owns this place is certainly like the witch from Hansel and Gretal."

Robin smiles awkwardly and steps out of the car, choosing not to judge a person before meeting them. He's sure the owner can't be _that_ bad.

He discovers he's wrong as soon as he walks inside. He takes one look at the woman behind the counter, with sharp blue eyes and bundles of blonde hair, a glum expression pressed firmly to her (probably previously pretty) face and decides that, maybe she is rather witch like.

"Ah. Mallory. Will you be wanting a table?" The woman's voice calls out from her place behind the counter, despite there being people sat quietly trying to enjoy their food. "Or will you and... your friend, be leaving us so soon?"

Mal sighs and cocks her head at Robin, indicating for him to walk further into the room. "A table, and two coffee's..." she pauses and turns to look at him, a silent question on her lips.

"White coffee," he answers her, assuming that's what she's asking, and she turns back to the woman.

"Two coffees, one white one black," and then Mal is walking to the nearest empty table. They both take a seat and sit silently for a minute or two.

It's not until their order is called out and Mal gets up to get their coffees (much to his protest) that they start making conversation. Conversation which he's kinda not in the mood for right now.

Sure, he was in the mood an hour ago. He _was_ in the mood for a nice coffee and a little chat with his new aquantance and colleague, but Regina and the photo and their unfinished conversation keeps playing on his mind. Her... with somebody else. Actually _with_ somebody else... like she was... is getting to him. She's said it was just a hook up, and he believes her, but he can't help but feel...

He doesn't know. He just doesn't like it and wants to sort it out for her but instead he's sat here with a coffee in his hand (which is rather good, by the way) listening to Mal talk about... dragons?

"-I mean I _was_ only eighteen. My mother was mad of course but I really liked it. It's cool. What do you think?"

He is so confused about what she's talking about until she shoves her wrist to his side of the table, displaying a rather well done tattoo of a dragon. Quite a small one, maybe the size of a credit card, but still elegant and pretty and... and maybe he should get a tattoo.

Something that represents him inked to his skin, something permanent that can't be taken away. Something that stands for something.

He's always been against the idea of permantantly scarring his skin but recently, doing all the _right_ things has been more damaging than doing the wrong thing sounds.

"What, you don't like it?"

He hasn't answered Mal yet, he realizes. "No! No... I mean, not ' _no_ I don't like it,' I mean no, I do. _I do_ like it."

"Huh," she acknowledges, eyeing him curiously with a dangerous expression - like a cat after a bird, a predator after meat. She sucks her red lips between her white teeth and makes a clicking sound with her tongue. "So what's your deal, Locksley?"

"My _deal_?" He asks bewildered.

"Yeah," she shrugs, "you've been at Misthaven for like three weeks now. What's your story, what's your deal, what's your aim?"

Robin chuckles a little, both in confusion and fear. This woman is quite intense. "I... I just like teaching. It's my career and there was a vacancy at Misthaven and I applied and I got it."

"You're not a very open person, are you?"

He laughs again, more nervously than the last one. "I- what's that supposed to mean?"

"I ask your story, you tell me your career. You work in a school, _of course_ you're a teacher. I meant... tell me about _you_."

Clearly she's not the sociable type. She's quite bad at the whole conversation thing, as is he pretty much, so at least they have that in common.

"I'm from England-" he's cut off by her loud, sarcastic sigh of _'with that accent? No way'_ and he rolls his eyes and asks for her to let him finish. "I'm from England, but I moved here a few years ago. I worked in schools here, bought a house, got married along the way and then got divorced quite recently. Then I met this amazing woman who took the ground from beneath my feet and hung the moon and I fell so in love with her but we can't be together and now I'm working at Misth-"

He cuts himself off before he can say any more. He's gone too far with his frustration and to be perfectly honest he never meant to say _any_ of that. Still, he plays it cool and clears his throat. "That enough of _me_ for you?"

"Damn," is all Mal gasps, looking at him with one perfect eyebrow raised, an admiring smirk on her lips. "Must be _some_ girl."

Robin sighs, sips his coffee, and nods. "She is. Let's not talk about her, though. You were right, this is good coffee."

She chuckles heartily and fiddles with her cup. "It damn sure is," she agrees, and he's glad she's accepted his change of topic. "Only two dollars fifty, too. If you're willing to put up with the witch behind the counter, then you've got the perfect place for lunch and a cheeky coffee stop in the mornings."

Robin smiles genuinely and takes another gulp, deciding that coming here wasn't all too bad. He's grateful that he's getting to know more of the staff past John and Katherine, and he's also feeling refreshed after the recent kick of caffeine in his system, but Regina can't help but keep making her way into his head. It's a downer and it's frustrating but he just can't stop feeling like... like he's lost and like he wants to talk to her and...

He's not mad at her. He could never be mad at her but he's mad at her decisions and mad at her lies and he's been _over_ this.

Now is not the time.

* * *

 _Well... now may not be the time but, there will certainly be a conversation if Robin has anything to say about it._


	12. No Smooth Sailing: Part One

_Hi hi hi! I promised I wouldn't take so long to update again, so I'm keeping that promise. There has been a small time jump from last chapter (two weeks has past by in their time) and this chapter is very Robin heavy, so there's a Robin flashback too. All I'm gonna say is hold out to the end *wink wink* because yes, what you think is gonna happen, happens-ish._

 _\- Anyway, excuse any mistakes and enjoy x_

* * *

Luckily, it's been smooth sailing for the past two weeks.

Two whole weeks of nothing.

Eventually the buzz about the picture had died down, everybody forgetting about Regina's slutty antics and moving on to more pressing issues like; who stole Anna from 10th grades lipgloss, when is the history paper due, and did Lily Page _really_ make out with Mulans boyfriend?

It's back to mediocre rubbish, the gossip mill spinning at its regular pace, and for once, Regina doesn't mind the drama.

She's content.

The photo is long forgotten, Robin and her are in a place in which it's bearable to be around one another, and Mother and Leo are going away for a week on business.

She'll get some sleep in, she'll get some studying done, she'll hang out with Emma and then she'll take her first exam next week and pass with flying colors. That's what she'll do. Nothing can bring her down.

Not even Katherine standing in the doorway in her third lesson on a Wednesday talking about Prom, has her down. It's math, the class had been doing their exam prep for next week, when the blonde had made her chirpy presence known and had announced the set date for prom.

"Now as you all know, there will be a prom King and Queen announced on the day, so if you'd like to put yourself forward for it then sign up sheets are down the reception corridor. Tickets, photographs and other information will be in the same area so don't forget to check it all out."

It's not enough to get her mood down, but it's enough to have her feeling bad for Emma all over again. Emma is in the math set below her, so Katherine will probably be headed over there next and Regina knows how Emma feels about the prom situation.

But still, she's being positive, now. She'll apologize again to Emma and they'll do something fun to distract themselves from the fact that they're not allowed to attend prom and how Regina will never be prom queen, and this is her only chance to be prom queen, and she's going to miss out on all the dancing-

Positive. Happy.

Forget about prom.

Katherine gives a chirpy hum to the room. "Thank you for your time, class."

And then she's gone.

* * *

"Locksley!" John calls out to Robin from somewhere behind him, and Robin turns to see him walking from the other end of the corridor, extending an arm to wave and then breaking into a jog to catch up with him.

Robin stops and waits for him to catch up. "John. What's up?"

John is out of breath when he reaches him. "I was hoping to catch you before the end of lunch," he says.

"Any particular reason?" Robin asks as they fall in step with one another. John shakes his head. "Regular lunch chat then? God, anyone would think we were women the way you talk on."

They reach Robins classroom and he pulls out his keys to unlock the door. "I'm just glad that I _have_ someone to talk to. The break room is always full of teachers marking, and August is always welcome for visitors but has the dullest conversations."

Robin _ahs_ and walks into his classroom, setting the scone he'd bought a moment ago from the café down onto his desk and then taking a seat. John looks at it instantly.

"You went to the GH? That's three times you've done that without me!"

"The first time I was invited by someone else, last time I couldn't actually find you, and this time I wasn't even planning on going. I just... got bored of marking."

John tuts and his eyebrows rise and fall as he pulls a chair from behind a desk and sits on it. "Are you in a better mood now? Now that you've had time for the divorce finalization to settle in."

Robin nods. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine actually. It was just rough, for a while."

And it certainly wasn't the divorce.

"Good. Mal told me she thinks you're much more attractive when you're not moping down the school halls."

"Mal _said_ that to you?" Robins eyes widen, and John let's out a loud, belly laugh. "Idiot."

John continues to laugh, choking out, "of course Mallory Page didn't _say_ that... but she _implied_."

"Oh yeah? How did she _imply_?" It's no secret that Robin and Mal have been _hanging out_. Not in an overly friendly way. Not in a friendly way at all. In a way suggests that it's clear she _can_ stand his company. Apparently Mal can't stand much, so it's the talk of the teaching staff that she's tolerating Robin Locksley.

But she's certainly not friendly, they have chipped, blunt conversations most of the time, and she usually walks away with a snarky comment or nothing at all. A little ' _you won't last in this school a second with that attitude_ ' or ' _I've had stale bread with more flavour than this conversation._ ' He likes that about her, she's true to herself. Her bitter, strict, disapproving self.

"We saw you walking to the cafeteria the other day and she said ' _oh I'm so tired of that waste of space walking around like a slapped arse_ ' and then she scoffed real loud, shook her head, and walked away," John chuckles, putting on an overly feminine voice in attempt to imitate Mal. He fails completely.

Still, Robin frowns. "That doesn't imply that at all."

"Trust me," John raises his eyebrows, reaching forward to take a bit of Robins scone, "in her language, it does."

Robin leans back in his chair and sighs, glaring at the detail on the ceiling for a moment. John is right, he's had a rough few weeks. Just feeling lonely and bitter, and missing _her_ but not _missing_ her because he sees her every day.

It's a vicious cycle; heartbreak.

And you don't know that you're so susceptible to such a thing until it hits you full force in the chest and knocks the wind from your lungs. By then you're already drowning, your lifeline ripped away from you in the form of the person you love and then only _you_ can save yourself.

You can swim or you can grab onto something, anything. Regina was the last thing he grabbed onto, after Marian. And this is what he means about the cycle. Now Regina's been ripped away it's like he's grabbing onto nothing but... but moping and working. He's grabbed onto his job to save himself this time, throwing his focus into planning classes and marking homework.

It's ironic that his job is the issue anyway.

None of these people, nobody that he's met recently, that he's formed some kind of 'balancing act' friendship with in the last few weeks of working in this _place_ (he thinks of the word ' _school_ ' bitterly) knows who he is. Who he really is.

He's the man, recently divorced, good teacher, mr blue eyes and dimpled smile, strict-at-the-right-time that everyone wants to know. And so Mal can have her fun and distract him with her almost-conversations that make it seem more like she's trying to break him than talk to him, and John can banter with him, joking about their lives like he actually knows Robin at all.

What would they all say, he wonders... If they knew? Knew how stupid he's been, how disgusting he is, how utterly bad this 'good guy Robin' character can be?

And then he thinks; _who cares?_

If they were to find out (which they won't, God he _hopes_ they won't) they'd think all of those derogatory things about him like trash dropped outside of a trash can, and they'll make comments and he'll probably be arrested... but in his head, in his mind, he knows that he doesn't _feel_ like all of those things.

He sees brown eyes and plump lipped smiles and sexy underwear and youthful body and open mind and raspy voice and precious tears that are so delicate they could cut him open. He sees all of it, and he thinks, _how can I be a bad guy for falling in love with that?_

He isn't trash dropped outside of a trash can. He's a letter, misplaced and dropped on the sidewalk. Someone would look at it and assume that it's trash but they'd never pick it up and take a look inside. Never read the cursive handwriting, the metaphors, the words laced with raw emotion and _truth_.

He loves her, so much, and he's not scared to admit that to himself anymore.

Instead, though, he nods his head at John and responds to his earlier statement. "I don't have time to translate everyone's individual, subliminal language. I'm still learning my own."

John raises his eyebrows, oblivious.

* * *

 _It's a dry November night. The kind of night that has you down because nothing is happening, good or bad, and the empty void of nothingness is enough to have you craving something, you just don't know what._

 _Robin is sitting at the dinner table, munching on yesterday's casserole that's been left in the fridge (it might not actually be from yesterday, he can't really be sure when it was made) glaring dully at his iPad screen reading email, after email, after email._

 _Sports competitions coming up at the school, what poor, boundary-less kid has been excluded this week and - catch this - he's been signed up for the annual museum field trip next month!_

 _He gets to drag insulant, lazy, uncooperative teenagers to a museum and tell them all about things that even_ he _doesn't understand. Anatomy and fossils aren't his field, but the school is always short on staff and he's a reasonable man who doesn't like to say 'no' a lot, so he'll take the damn kids to the museum and he'll tell them about bones and history and somehow he'll relate it to literature just so he's getting his department out there a bit and then he'll come home to dinner in the microwave and he'll take a hot shower before hopping into bed._

 _The front door opens just then, a woosh of cold air breezing down the hall and into the kitchen before he hears her grunted voice; "I'm home."_

 _He rolls his eyes every time she does this, because it's hardly likely to be anyone else, is it?_

 _She walks into the kitchen, pink cheeked, clasping the mittens she's probably just removed in her hands, no smile on her face._

 _The usual._

 _Still, he smiles. "Good day, babe?" He asks as she walks over and places a compulsory kiss to his cheek, mumbling something that sounds like '_ alright _' yet could've been '_ not really _' but he isn't interested enough to ask her to repeat herself._

 _She sticks on the kettle behind him, and he can feel her lingering. He can picture her position. She's probably leaning with her hip against the counter, arms folded, lips pursed and eyes narrowed like she's thinking about something._

 _He turns to look at her, and he was almost right. She's leaning with her hip against the counter but her hand is face down on the surface of it, fingers tapping away silently. Her expression as he'd predicted._

 _"Babe?" He asks, simply to catch her attention so he can ask if anything is up._

 _God he_ hopes _that nothing is up, because he hasn't got the time or the patience to listen to something mediocre and jarring. Doesn't feel like translating what her 'woman code' means tonight. Women will be mad at something, won't tell you about it in plain English, and then they'll expect you to work it out for yourselves. Round one: find out what's wrong with your wife. Round two: fix whatever the problem is. Round three: tell her you know what the problem is, that you've fixed the problem, and that you love her._

 _Bonus round: survive the argument that comes after this, because your wife will_ certainly _not appreciate your gesture at all. It will be a problem that you've worked it all out, she'll need something to complain about._

 _Marian meets his eyes and raises one perfect brow. "Hmm?"_

 _"Something up?"_

 _She pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath, shaking her head so her dark hair swishes about her chest. "I-" she starts, but then she thinks about it and changes her mind as the kettle clicks to signify that it's done boiling. "No," she settles on, turning to pour water into her cup. "No."_

 _No always means yes, especially when said like that._

 _Despite having no patience a second ago, no energy to focus on something not worth focusing on, he's intrigued now. This is clearly an issue._

 _He turns fully, now, scooting his chair and leaning an elbow on the table, giving her his full attention. "Marian," he says softly, but she continues making her coffee, not even shrugging a response. "Marian!"_

 _Se huffs and drops a spoon onto the counter, turning to look at him irritably. "What?"_

 _"Something's clearly up."_

 _She scoffs, "just leave it, Robin."_

 _"No!" Robin shakes his head, standing up because he hates it when she hides things from him. It's just strains both of them when they can't sort through an issue because she doesn't bring it up to him until it irritates her enough to explode about it. "What's up with you?"_

 _"Drop it! Seriously," she glares at him, and they have a brief, intense staring match._

 _She's been like this, recently. Cold, distant, little expressive bursts of affection every now and then before going back to irritated, closed off, almost resentful._

 _He's always put it down to hormones (which is such a classic, dickhead thing to assume, but what can he say, he's a guy?) or put it down to her being stressed or someone bothering her. Robin has asked, before. A few weeks ago they'd gone to the supermarket to get groceries. Together. Like a normal, married couple. Usually she goes herself, or he gets a few bits on his way back from work to last them a few weeks, but they'd both gone this time, strapped up in his car like any average couple._

 _They hadn't driven home in the same car. They'd had an argument in the middle of the supermarket, started over which coffee brand they should buy and it turned into a full blown spat about one controlling the other, one 'never cleaning up your mess for fucks sake' and the other 'pays for the damn shopping half the time!' and then she'd stormed out and gotten a cab home, leaving him to finish getting the groceries by himself._

 _He bought her brand of coffee, because he thought it'd be a good start to an apology. It started another argument about cowardice and clinginess and 'you know what? I need some space!' instead._

 _That night in bed he'd asked her what'd been bothering her lately. She told him she just felt unaccomplished. He'd said "I love you."_

 _She responded, "you too."_

 _He isn't dropping it this time. They're going to get to the bottom of this._

 _"I'm your husband, Marian. You can tell me. Your problems are my problems."_

 _He feels like a dick for playing the soft husband card. He's playing it like he's totally understanding of her behaviour, like he's fine with her mood swings and like just wants to help._

 _He actually just wants her to stop being a bitch._

 _She swallows and then clicks her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Why are you eating that?" She points to the half eaten casserole on the table. He frowns, turns to look at it like he's just noticed it's there, and then looks back to her._

 _What the fuck?_

 _"Because I was hungry. It was in the fridge."_

 _"How long has that fucking thing been in the fridge, Robin?"_

 _He tenses his jaw. "I don't fucking know! A day! Two days? Why does this matter?"_

 _"Because it's been in there for over a week! You're eating a week old casserole!"_

 _"That's fucking disgusting, Marian, but why the fuck does that matter when we're talking about_ your _issues right now!?"_

 _She laughs bitterly and slaps her hands to her legs, her coffee long forgotten. "Because it's been in there for a week and you haven't even noticed. You just come home, and you do the same thing and everything is the same and then you go to bed and repeat the next day. It's like you're not here, half the time. You're off in your head somewhere. I can't breathe in this house sometimes because it's so full of nothingness and routine that it's suffocating."_

 _His throat tightens. His breathing deepens._

 _Round one, complete. Not good._

 _Definitely not good. This is serious. She isn't talking about an external problem, she's talking about an internal problem and that means she's been thinking about this for a while. She's a smart person, Marian. His wife, the nurse, the high school genius, the smart one in her family. She doesn't just bring an issue up from nowhere, it's something she thinks about and notices over time and so that means that it's true._

 _"I... I don't know what to say," he stutters, eyes rapidly moving on the floor beneath his feet as he racks his brain for something..._ anything _that will tell him where this started going wrong._

 _"We've been married for three years, Robin. Three years. I know things don't usually go bad this fast but... sometimes I feel-"_

 _"No," he cuts her off, lifting his eyes to find hers and holding the contact. He won't have her talking like that. Sure he's noticed things have been a little... bumpy, lately, but he'd never imagined it was bad enough for a conversation as serious as this or separation. Surely they can work through a fucking issue as small as their relationship becoming strained? "Don't be stupid, Marian. Every marriage has its hiccups. We're out of the honeymoon period. You work long hours, we're busy a lot of the time, it's bound to get distant. I'm bound not to notice how long the fucking casserole has been in the fridge-"_

 _"But it's not just that, Robin!" She cries, throwing her hands in the air, and now she's getting frustrated. "Is it?"_

 _"Yes! It is!"_

 _She sighs hopelessly, gives him this '_ are you serious? _' look and then bites her lip. She's going to cry. He knows when she's about to cry, she gets this frowny face, her features creased with worry and strain and then she bites her lip as if that's going to stop the waterworks. He swallows the lump in his throat and walks over to her, pulls her into his arms with a mumbled '_ come on, it's okay _' into her hair._

 _Marian shakes her head. "It's not," she sobs, still not pulling away from him. "I think we should spend some time ap-"_

 _"We don't need to spend any time apart. We should be spending time together," he cuts her off, not aggressively - more insistent. He doesn't know what he'd do without her. It's a routine. Like a spare part of him; having someone there. Someone leaving their shoes by his at the front door, someone humming in the shower early in the morning when he wakes up, someone checking whether they need the boiler checked anytime soon. Someone who he occasionally comes home to, the smell of warm food wafting in the air, or sometimes someone who comes home to him, aimlessly calling '_ I'm home _' from the hallway while he rolls his eyes. Things that he'd still have if he didn't press this conversation._

 _But thinking these things over in his head as he holds her close to his chest, he realizes they're just things he's used to, not things he appreciates. He's runs the memory of the other week through his head again and again. Him saying, 'I love you' and she'd only responded with 'me too.'_

 _Anybody who watches TV knows that once somebody stops responding with the actual words, with "I love you too" it's no longer true anymore._

 _It's at this point that he realizes his marriage is over._

 _Round two: failed._

* * *

They'd stayed together, after that. It's sad, stupid even. He'd slept on the couch, her in their bed, and in the morning she'd woken up in a better mood, a different mind set.

 _"Maybe we can try. Try to fix this,"_ she'd said causally over breakfast, so nonchalant that it's almost like they weren't talking about their entire _marriage_.

When he thinks back on it, he feels idiotic. He'd been so hopeful that they'd sort things out, that they'd fall back in love with each other, he didn't think it'd actually tear them apart more. It just prolonged the inevitable, they became resentful and bitter towards one another, and then just after New Years (they spent the season apart, he'd gone to England to see his parents, she'd stayed in America with her best friend) she asked for a divorce.

He doesn't know whether he'd been more upset about losing _her_ or losing their marriage. He never thought he'd be the type to get divorced. To take a vow and then break that vow. Go back on your word just because you were too intolerant to prevent the circumstances.

Still, at least that came to a natural end. At least that pain, which was so intense and raw way back then, is gone now. Replaced.

He shouldn't be drinking in school, he really shouldn't. It's last period on Wednesday, but he has no class right now, and to be honest he deserves a drink. He'd put the bottle in his briefcase for this exact reason, this morning.

It's not just Regina he's down about today, though. Shocking, really, but he feels like he's hit a real down path in his life. He's only twenty eight, too young for such a crisis, but honestly, thinking about it he's kind of failed already.

He's divorced, he's heartbroken, he's a liar - every day he's a liar because of this secret - and he's an idiot. He's fucked all of this up and it wasn't even worth it because he's not the heroine who gets the girl in the end of the movie. He's the sleaze who turns into a bitter drunk at the end, with some sort of message over his picture like ' _Robin Locksley spent the next 20 years alone, until he died of utter disappointment and achieved nothing_.'

Sometimes he just thinks, _fuck it_ , let everyone find out. At least then it's off your conscience and you can live out your days as ' _that guy. The one who took advantage of being a teacher and slept with a student_.' That's not how it is but that's how they'll see it.

And other times he thinks, _but Regina_. Regina will be heartbroken - even more so than he's already made her. He doesn't want to put her through that, he wants to protect her - this isn't just for him, it's for them. If people were to find out she'd be ridiculed by her mother, by the school, the media will paint her as a victim and that's something that she'd never want to be seen as. As a person that somebody has manipulated and used and taken advantage of, and she's anything _but_ that. He'd never hurt her like that.

His pure, sweet, hot headed, stubborn, deep down extremely insecure Regina. Regina with her different personalities. She can be seductive, she can be angry, she can be the most tender and vulnerable person when she wants to - when she trusts you. He loves that side of her, loves every side of her, and he's so damn mad because it's the same thing over and over again. And the same thought crosses his mind every single time; the only thing standing in their way is the consequences they face if anyone finds out.

By this point he's usually very drunk, if he's stupid enough to think about the _'what if's_. He gets to the stage of intoxicated when he thinks maybe they could make it work. Something that his sober mind knows is impossible. Usually.

Except he's thinking about it now, and he isn't drunk. Sure, he's drinking, but not enough to become delusional. Enough to have him confident. They've already done the crime, they're already hiding it. Why can't they continue the crime and continue to hide it?

* * *

Is he... _sleeping_?

Or is he just resting his head?

She can't really tell from this angle, glancing through the little gap in the blinds on his classroom door. The school bell indicating the end of the day went _at least_ ten minutes ago, meaning he's been sat there like that for a while.

Maybe it's best if she leaves him. Sure, they're in a casual place. Sure, she's not mad at him anymore, and she can stand to look at him again, but this really isn't her place. He's told her multiple times (back when they were still... in a bad place) that she needs to stay away from him, and while that's changed, maybe going into his room after school hours isn't the best thing to do.

She does it anyway.

Regina taps lightly on the door, not hard but hard enough that he'll be able to hear it if he's awake, but when he doesn't move she frowns and enters anyway.

"Robin?" She murmurs quietly, trying not to startle him. He still doesn't move, and there's a weird smell in the air... like...

Alcohol.

She sees the bottle clasped in his hand, then. In the hand that belongs to the arm he's leaning his head on. He's drunk. Passed out drunk.

Stupid, idiotic, impulsive man. How could he be so irresponsible?

"Robin!" She says louder, pulling the bottle from his grasp and placing it on the other side of the desk. He stirs then. "Robin you idiot!"

"Hmmm?" He mumbles sleepily, groggy eyes opening, blinking, adjusting to the light as he takes everything in. "Regina, what?" His voice is thick with sleep, and he's sitting up slowly, squinting as he looks around. "What happened?"

She slams her hand onto her desk to wake him up more. "Are you serious Robin!? Do you want to lose your job? What the fuck are you doing!?"

He shakes his head, still getting his bearings, and Christ he must've drunk a lot, she thinks. "What are you talking about?"

"What is that?" She throws her hand in the direction that she'd placed the bottle of liquor, glaring at it like it's done something to personally offend her.

"Fuck," he mutters, blowing out a long breath of air. "Shit. I'm sorry, I must've fallen asleep."

Her eyes snap back to him instantly. "Fallen asleep? You were passed out drunk!"

"No, I wasn't. I didn't drink that much."

"Is this your way of dealing with everything? Getting drunk on the school premises? Do you honestly think this whole thing is smart!?"

He grimaces at her, and suddenly she clears her throat, lowering her voice for him because she doesn't want to give him a massive headache on top of his hangover. "Robin you need to stop this."

"I know. Fuck, I know," he sighs, standing up and running his hands through his hair. "But I wasn't _that_ drunk. I was tired, that's all."

She concedes, steps back from his desk a little and takes a moment to look at him. He looks rough. Like he's getting no sleep, like he's overly stressed. This is her fault. She's been so content and positive for these past two weeks that she hasn't even realized he's not coping as well as her.

 _Oh how the tables have turned._

"Okay," she swallows, tongue coming out to wet her lips. "Well are you okay? I mean... how is everything?"

This is how she used to talk to him. Back then. When he'd ask her to come over, looking a little rough around the edges and sleep deprived. She'd take the tone she is now, ask him how everything is, and then he'd just kiss her in answer. He won't do that now, though. She knows that.

She knows he's thinking the same thing, because he keeps his eyes on her, licks his lips and stalls. Doesn't respond for a good few seconds. And then; "everything's fine."

"Bullshit," she scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You _can_ talk to me Robin. We've done the hard part. The break up... the sadness-"

" _We_ haven't done the hard part. _You_ seem fine, and I know you weren't before - I know you were utterly devastated before - but just because you're okay _now_ doesn't mean we've _both_ done the hard part," he spits, and she thinks his eyes darken for a moment. It doesn't scare her, it pleases her that he's letting it out.

"Well then talk to me, Robin!" She cries, throwing her hands in the air just for the affect.

"I don't want to," he mutters, gritting his teeth.

This is going nowhere. "Yes you do. You _know_ you do. I know when you want to talk to me. For almost a month I spent time with you when you were at your lowest and helped you through it and this is another time like that, except I'm the problem. And I'm sorry about that but... but you still want to talk to me."

He inhales deeply and let's it out, as if ridding himself of some large amount of steam. "Now isn't the time, Regina."

"When is the fucking time?"

"Not now!" He growls.

She shakes her head and storms up to him, rage seeping from her because he just _won't_ _talk to her_. She can't bear it when he's this down. "Why _not_ now!? While we're alone and you need someone to talk to! I'm here, right now, in front of you. Do you see me at all? Do you Robin? I just want to help!"

He takes a dangerous step towards her, so they're almost face to face, breathing laboured, anger on his face that has her almost scared, this time. _Almost_.

"I don't need your help! Your _help_ is what got me in this mess in the first place!"

He's so close, he smells of rage, and alcohol and _man_. "We're past that, Robin! I don't want you to fuck your job up because of me, because you're upset!"

"So go the fuck away!"

"No," she breathes quietly, because she's not having that. He pushed her away before. She _let_ him push her away before and she's not going to let it happen again until she helps him. "Let me help you."

It's silent for a single second before he's grasping her shoulders in his palms, pushing her back into the wall and shoving his lips onto hers like a starving man. She yelps a little when she hits the wall, but her breath is taken away by him kissing her, kissing her like she's been wanting for so long, and then she's kissing him back.


	13. No Smooth Sailing: Part Two

I would say you're welcome but I'll wait for you to finish the chapter and then you can thank me...

Okay, just kidding! But you will be happy with the result of this chapter. Sorry for any mistakes! I do proof read but they end up slipping through anyway.

-Enjoy x

* * *

They're kissing and it's like coming home.

He's been starving for so long, yearning for her, wanting to touch and feel her and hold her for what seems like a lifetime. And now they're here, in his classroom, kissing while she's in her uniform.

It's a sloppy, fast, desperate kiss. It's all teeth and tongue and grunted moans, and fisting shirts, his hands in her hair, pressing into her while he has her pinned up against the wall.

'Mmmm' she hums into his mouth, swallowing their kisses as her hands frantically search for the buttons on his shirt, but he has none of her patience. He doesn't bother with the buttons on her school shirt, he tears the thing off without breaking their kiss, the buttons popping off as her smooth skin and lacy bra become exposed to him.

He detaches their lips with a loud smack and rakes his eyes over the body that he's been starved of for too long. And suddenly he's hungry. Hungry and ready to devour her, his want for her overwhelming and it's not just because she's stunning in every way.

He darts his tongue out and then shoves lips to her jaw, biting, nipping, sucking and licking his way to her neck, down to her collar bone before smothering kissing over her cleavage, leaving a trail of saliva and red marks over her breasts as she writhes and moans and scrapes her nails at the back of his neck in utter bliss.

"Mmm, Robin," she moans quietly, tugging on his hair so his head tilts and looks up at her. His heart skips a beat at how beautiful she looks, so raw and riled up and a little out of breath, the glow of sunlight behind the blinds highlighting her face. His lips are back on hers instantly, both hands cupping her face because he just can't get enough of her kisses now that he has them again. He pulls against her, tugging her so he can walk her towards his desk without breaking their kiss. She yelps a little when the backs of her legs hit the desk, taking one arm away from his head so she can balance herself and removing her lips from his.

He's back to her neck, now. Back to having his lips on her warm, soft, vanilla scented skin. So prefect and delicate and exactly what he needs.

"Robin," she says in a breathy whisper, a sound that goes straight to his ego, "Robin wait," she breathes, and he hums into her neck, a questioning response before she says louder; "Robin, stop!"

He pulls away instantly, out of breath, sweaty, and confused. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" He asks, panicked, because he'd never want to hurt her. Maybe he's still a little drunk and he's done something that's upset her without thinking. "Baby?"

But she's just looking at him, panting, mouth gaping only slightly, eyes wide. "We can't," she swallows, shaking her head.

And _oh_ , he realizes. They _can't_.

Well actually, yes they can. And yes, they have been. But that's not what he means. Sure - they can, they can do it right now, right here, but in a 'sanity kinda way' they can't.

But he wants to. He really, _really_ wants to.

When she'd come in and woken him up just a few minutes ago he'd been in such a muddle he couldn't think straight. And then she was offering to help him, asking him questions in that tender tone like she used to, and he couldn't stand it. Because he'd been thinking - before he'd fallen asleep - about the possibility that they could work out.

And from the moment he'd woken up and laid eyes on her, it was too tempting. So he tried to push her away and eventually he just couldn't anymore. He saw red, and he saw brown eyes.

"I'm- I know. I know," he whispers, taking an insignificant step back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

"No," Regina rasps, clearing her throat and shaking her head. "No, you shouldn't have. You're sending out all kinds of mixed messages and it's kind of unfair," she mutters as she stands straight and fumbles with her shirt and holds it together so it's covering a bit of her dignity. "You're not coping well, Robin, and it's scaring me. One of us has to do the right thing here. You did the right thing last time by... by pushing me away. Now let me do the right thing and _walk away_."

Just like Marian. He curses himself for comparing women - comparing exes - because good men don't compare women but _by God_ they're similar. Both the strong ones of the relationship. Both the ones to walk away when there's nothing left.

Him the one that lets them.

But he doesn't want to be the one that lets this slip away. He doesn't want to compare relationships, doesn't want to compare which woman muttering the words "walk away" hurts worse but he can be damn sure it's this one. This woman, muttering these words.

"Regina," he says, but he doesn't know why. He hasn't thought of anything to say past _'Regina'_ so now she's looking at him, stern and grown up, awaiting the pathetic comment that she needs to shut down. She's definitely no child. "I... I do want to talk to you. You were asking me to talk to you so I'll talk to you."

Her eyebrows shoot up, her mouth gaping open as she makes a coherent stutter. Her shoulders relax, almost like she's relieved. "Uhm, okay. Okay, yeah. Talk to me."

He's such a dickhead. Such a manipulative, stupid, dickhead.

 _"How to get your ex to stay in a room because you don't want her to walk away from you even though it's just prolonging the inevitable; a book, by Robin Locksley. Step one: please her by pretending to let her help you like she wants to."_

He really should just tell her to go. For her own benefit - because he can be such a prick sometimes that he wonders why women like him. Well, he's a genuinely nice guy, he'd never want to dishonor anybody and he has the utmost respect for people. But he has this bad trait. It comes from being an only child, he thinks. When he's not getting his way, when something is out of his control he just _has_ to do something to curve the bullet.

He didn't want Regina to leave, he told her he wants to talk to her. He doesn't even have anything to say, apart from the truth.

"What is it?" She asks quietly, tilting her head so her imposing brown eyes are looking into his. "Are you gonna tell me what's up?"

Might as well. She's the only one he _can_ talk to anyway.

"Do you ever wonder why we fell for each other so fast?"

She looks shocked again. Blinks her eyes a few times and licks her lips. "I... sometimes. Why?"

He smiles at her bafflement. Finds it endearing. "I fell for you in a single moment. You probably won't remember the moment, it was so insignificant that you'd probably forgotten it that same day."

She bites her lip. Same as Marian; she's going to cry.

 _He really should stop comparing them._

"We were laying in bed one morning. You'd woken up before me," he stops so he can clear his throat and take a seat. She moves and does the same. "Might've been two weeks after we'd met... I don't know. I just know it was morning and the first thing I woke up to was your face. Just looking at me. So pretty and so focused. And then you smiled and it was like... like I finally understood what people meant when they say the wind can get knocked out of you metaphorically. And I couldn't for the life of me pinpoint this feeling. I was just in denial for a long time. So hung up over a dead marriage. But that morning was the first morning that I didn't wake with a pit in my stomach or a lump in my throat," he's talking to the blackboard, not her. He's talking _to_ her but not directly _at_ her. It's easier not to look her in the eyes. "I wrote a poem about it the other week. You'd like it."

"Robin-"

"Wait, let me finish," he pleads quietly, gaze returning to hers. She's crying. Glistening tears streaming down her cheeks. He reaches out to wipe one.

She pulls away.

"So I think," he continues, ignoring the fact that she's just rejected his touch because it _hurts_ him. "That we are the stuff of soulmates."

Regina scoffs, chuckles through her tears and gives him such a _Regina Look_. "You believe that stuff?"

"No," he shakes his head, small smile playing on his face. "I'm a literature teacher, everything is poetic. I just mean... we fell in love so fast and before we knew about all of this," he indicates around the classroom, "that's all it was. Love. Except we didn't know that back then. At least I didn't know I was in love with you until I felt the full brunt force of pain."

Regina nods, sniffles, and closes her eyes. "It creeps up on you. Silently. Then it hits you like a train before you can jump off the tracks."  
They stay silent for a moment. "So, that's what you wanted to tell me?"

"No," he responds, scratching his head nervously. "We had a fling, fell in love, got separated by this... circumstance and now we're here, both hurting. Some more than others," he mumbles, it's supposed to be a joke. They're supposed to laugh at the fact that he seems more upset than her. It isn't funny, though. "But if you take that circumstance away, we have every chance."

"Don't," she says, shaking her head, pulling her torn shirt a little tighter over her. "Don't do that. Don't try to open a door that you don't have the key to."

"Why not!?" He cries, maybe a little too loudly. He needs to remember that they're still in the school. "Why not? Just think about it, okay. Nobody has to know. We just-"

"You're still drunk, Robin," she states, and it's patronizing and it irritates him. "You're not thinking straight. You don't want this. You said it yourself, if we get caught you lose everything."

"Not _everything_ ," he parrots, looking at her so she knows that she is part of that 'everything', "that was something stupid I said when I was panicking. I'd just found out that what we'd been doing was illegal."

" _Is_ illegal," she spits, folding her arms over her chest. "And you don't think _this_ is stupid? What you're saying now?"

"It is. Of course it is. But we've already done the bad thing-"

"It's like you said. That was _before_ we knew. Now it's different, now we _know_! It's like the roles have been reversed, why am _I_ the one talking sense now!?"

"They always say heartbreak takes it's tole on a guy. Women, they'll feel it right away, and then by the time they're over it-"

"I'm not over it-"

"By the time they're over it," he repeats over her interruption, "the guy starts feeling the full force. It's kinda like slow revenge. Usually it's the guy who messes up, right? Well woman cry and get over it before he even knows his hearts shattered."

"You're generalizing. Stereotyping. It doesn't apply to everybody," she mutters, leaning forward in attempts to intimidate him. "We can't continue this. Maybe two weeks ago I would've said yes, but that was before I had time to think, _really_ think about it. What you said was right. I don't want you to lose your job and your freedom - I don't want people to hate you - because of me. Because you love me."

"And maybe two weeks ago I would've agreed with that, but now _I've_ had time to think. What is the point in having freedom if I don't use it to follow my heart?"

Regina steps back and laughs. "You're crazy. You've gone mad, Robin."

"Don't do that," he groans, because he hates patronization. "I know what I'm saying."

He does, he _does_. Maybe he's had a little bit to drink, maybe he's high on adrenaline from their make out session, maybe he's heartbroken but he can still think straight. He still knows what he's saying.

"Okay," she swallows, but it isn't an agreement. "Okay maybe you know what you're saying, but you're saying it without actually _thinking_ about it. I care about you too much to put you in a situation like that. Had I known you were a teacher before, I wouldn't have put you in this situation in the first place but now, now I'm trying to make up for that. I was stupid, _you_ were stupid, and no matter how much it hurts we can't do this."

"But-"

"We can't." She cuts him off, raising a punctuating hand, staring right into his broken soul with those pretty eyes. "It's over. For good."

* * *

She hits her steering wheel with a force she never knew she had. The impulse just overcomes her once she's sat silently in her car, she's angry. So angry that rage tears through her like a knife slicing its way up her spine, frustration coursing it's way through her veins, causing her throat to tighten and her hands to give the steering wheel another sharp whack.

Just when she was starting to get better, he goes and does that.

Fucking stupid, selfish, bipolar idiot. He has such awful timing. It's something she's only recently learned, because despite the fact that they are very much in love they still have not known each other long, and still don't know a lot about the other apart from trivial bits and pieces. And yet it's only now she finds out that his timing for things is awful. Why did he wait until she was seeing clearly to spring this on her?

Why try to break her heart to keep her away, and then find some form of common ground between them, only to later propose that _maybe_ they could entertain some form of a relationship.

Is he insane? Does he _want_ to lose his job? It's against the law, it's wrong and it's stupid of him to be so reckless. He's gone 180, he's turned his whole attitude on it's head. Suddenly he's willing to break the law to be with her?

And why is he only realizing this _now_?

So she's angry. She's angry because she wants to - so badly. She wants to be with him, she wants to fuck the rules, she wants to not _care_ whether they get into trouble but she has to be the strong one here. She has to think about what he's risking and _why_ he's suddenly willing to risk it. Why has he changed his mind?

It isn't until later that night once she's in the comfort of her home, freshly showered and currently bathed in the warmth of her bedroom that she receives a text message.

It's him.

 _"I'm sorry."_

She is sorry too, but she won't respond to his message yet. It gives him a pass back into her current thoughts and she's concentrating on sorting her own head out right now.

Regina throws the phone onto her bed, takes a seat at her vanity and begins to put lotion onto her arms. She smooths the buttery cream into her soft skin, letting the light smell of coconut and vanilla waft in the air around her. Pretending her problems don't exist isn't helping her. She's had a reality check of that today because despite living the last two weeks calmly trying to forget about Robin, the pain has only caught back up with her and increased tenfold.

So now she needs to address these problems. She tried today when she asked to help him and she'll try again when she responds to his text but then that's it. Hopefully then in a few weeks she'll be leaving LA to start her life as a college student.

For now, though, she'll smother cream onto her olive skin and brush out her long, raven locks until she's calm enough to respond wholeheartedly. Maybe she'll try her hand at baking since her mother and Leo left this morning for their business trip and now she has free reign of the kitchen. She could make a cake or pie or maybe lasagna, her mother had tried to teach her _that_ particular recipe a few years ago and she remembers being rather good at it.

Her phone buzzes again on the bed, and she reaches over to grab it with her sticky hands. It's Robin.

 _"I'm just a mess right now. This is like a repeat of a few months back."_

Yes, it is. She recognizes this pattern of behavior for him and she hates that she's the cause this time.

 _"You need to forget about it, Robin."_

It takes a few minutes for the reply to come through.

 _"I know that. But it's hard, okay?"_

 _"Trust me. I know."_ Is her response, before she decides that it's definitely time for her to eat _something_ whether she bakes it or not. She traipses across her plush, carpeted floor and slips some socks onto her feet. The house is surprisingly quiet, and she looks across the hall outside her room to find that Mary Margaret's bedroom door is closed. And David is in there too, she recalls.

She shakes her head at the thought of her step sister and her... weirdly attractive boyfriend getting it on (which is so unlike Mary Margaret anyway) and she tiptoes her way down the staircase to the kitchen. The lights are off and they're harsh on her tired eyes when she switches them on. Her phone buzzes and tickles her palm a moment later.

 _"I feel awful about putting you through this. You said I have to get over it and to do that I'm going to have to get my feelings out."_

Regina sighs and begins typing _. "Whatever you need to do, do it."_

 _"I just need to get everything off my chest. I would go to the bar and bother Killian but I'm taking the piss a bit now."_

Killian, the friend that Robin has mentioned a number of times. The one she vaguely remembers from the bar _that night_ , with Emma's voice echoing in her mind, whispering _'isn't he cute?'_

 _"The bar isn't a good idea. You moped for months about your wife there and you only got worse,"_ she types.

 _Until he met me,_ she thinks.

She's searched the fridge for something she wants to eat yet she just can't seem to find anything that piques her interest. She ends up raiding the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and scooping up a shiny red apple.

 _"I know that. I do. There's not much else I can think of to help me cope,"_ he sends. _"Apart from you."_

She rolls her eyes and takes a generous bite out of her apple, chewing bitterly as she reads over the message. He sends another one before she can reply. _"I know you're giving me 'That Look' right now, so I'm just gonna say that last message was a joke before I start feeling your anger through the phone."_

Regina actually smiles at the message _. "Nice save, Mr Locksley."_

 _"Way to kill the mood, Mills,"_ her phone dings on the counter top just as she begins filling a glass of water up. _"How are you texting me? 7 o'clock is your dinner time and it's almost 8. You're not allowed your phone, right?"_

 _"Mother and Leo are gone for a week so no achingly drab dinner,"_ she responds whilst gnawing at her bottom lip nervously. Why is she nervous?

 _Because of all the possibility_...

 _"Just don't burn the house down."_ He replies and she chuckles because he's referring to a while ago when she was at his place and he asked her to watch over some food he was cooking whilst he popped to the store. She'd been stirring some bolognese when her favorite show had come onto the TV and she'd forgotten about the food.

Robin had walked through the front door just as she'd climbed onto a chair to reach the fire alarm that was blaring loudly throughout the house.

 _"My step sister is more likely to burn it down with whatever she's doing behind closed doors since her boyfriend is in there too," she replies._

Robin doesn't respond for almost an hour. Regina can see he's read it but he hasn't replied. She's laying in bed, on top of her soft cotton sheets and under fresh linen covers when his next text message comes through.

 _"I miss you."_

She shouldn't cry but she does. She should be mad at him but she isn't. It's all moving slowly and repeating itself. The exact same thing each week. One of them always wants the other and one of them is always miserable one of them try's to push the other away in a long repeat of emotions.

 _"I miss you too,"_ she replies, because it's honest. She has to be honest with her feelings if she wants them to change.

 _"I'm glad you said that."_

She blinks through her tears _. "It'll get easier soon,"_ and then, _"where did you go for the hour it took you to reply?"_

Regina asks it out of curiosity and concern because he didn't reply for ages and then came out with _'I miss you'_ totally randomly. It makes her think that maybe he ended up going to the bar, and that unsettles her slightly.

 _"I was thinking and raging and drinking and then I thought 'fuck it' and told you exactly what I wanted to. I miss you, and I know I see you every day but I miss you and us being how we used to be."_

She cries harder.

 _"Regina I love you so much and I don't know why it was so hard for me to admit at first. I'm sorry if this upsets you but I just need to say it. No matter what happens or how long we stay apart my feelings aren't going to change. I just need you, and it's hard but I do and I know I can't have you and it breaks me even more. You are the strongest woman I've ever met and it was ridiculous of me to push you away back then."_

It cracks her. Suddenly everything is nothing and nothing is everything and if _everything_ _doesn't matter_ then _nothing_ _matters_ and she misses him so much that she just... cracks.

 _"Come over."_

It's two words that she can see he reads instantly. And then she can see he's typing.

 _"I don't understand."_

She chews her lip so hard that she grimaces at the pain but doesn't stop. It's not a good idea and it contradicts everything she said earlier but _fuck it_ , suddenly she doesn't care.

 _"Come over. Please."_

 _"Your sister is there."_

 _"She won't leave her room until David leaves tonight. She certainly won't come into mine."_

She doesn't even correct him on calling Mary Margaret her _sister_. She just needs to stop kidding herself.

* * *

Regina does not need to say anything else. He's in his car before he even finishes reading her last text. Fumbling to put his keys in ignition, putting the car into gear and then hitting accelerate so fast that his car practically flies its way out of the driveway.

He knows where she lives, he'd dropped her down the street from her house a while ago and she'd pointed it out, muttering _'The big white one. Basically a prison'_ before kissing him goodbye and hopping out of his car. Now he's in the same car on his way to the same street to see the same girl.

Sure, he's had a little more to drink since getting home (he's not an alcoholic, he's really not but he's sure he's on his way there) and he's been moping around for the last few hours but the second she'd asked him to come over he grabbed his keys and shoved on his shoes despite showing slight uncertainty about her step sister being in the house.

He doesn't give a damn. They've taken one step forward and two steps back but at this rate they could take a million steps back and off the fucking earth and he wouldn't give a damn as long as they did it together.

Now isn't the time to think of consequences, as irresponsible as it sounds. Now is the time to stop preventing the inevitable and go with his damn heart.

* * *

 _"I'm outside."_

Regina reads the message and her heart stops, her palms sweat, her stomach drops.

It's the kind of motion sickness feeling you get when the roller-coaster reaches the edge of the drop and then plummets you down to certain death (in your brain it's certain death) right before your eyes. It's dread and excitement and relief all wrapped up in one.

And then once the ride is over it's all; _congrats! I survived. Let's do that again!_

She can't wait to survive _this_.

Regina climbs out of bed and throws the tissues she'd been sniveling into in the bin. She checks her hair in the mirror, almost dry from her shower, and notes that her eyes are a little puffy but she's clad of any make up anyway.

She steps quietly out of her bedroom and looks down the hall at Mary Margaret's still closed bedroom door. She knows it will stay that way for a while longer. As quietly as she can she creeps downstairs and stands for at least a minute in front of the front door. Last minute nerves. This is the moment everything will change.

Worst case scenario is that they stay as they are, apart and heartbroken. She won't find out until she opens the door. She does it fast, like ripping off a band-aid, and the warm evening air hits her bare legs (she's only wearing her favorite slip) and Robin is stood in front of her, eyes instantly raking over her.

"Quick," she whispers, pulling him in and shutting the front door quietly. He doesn't waste a moment before he kisses her, meshing their lips together for all of three seconds before pulling away. She bites her lip. "Hi."

He smiles at her like he's just hit a goldmine. "Hi."

They tiptoe upstairs until they're in her bedroom, and she blushes when she realizes she hasn't made the bed since just getting out of it. It's not even 10pm but she needed a lie down after this seemingly unending day.

"I uhm... I know it's contradictory of me to ask you over after everything I said," Regina says, walking over to her bed and straightening the sheets, "but I had to see you. Like this," she turns to face him and he swallows hard. "You were right. I miss you and we do see each other every day but it isn't the same as when we were like this. When it was personal and not weighted down. I thought it was better to block it all out and _it was_ for a while but then when I saw how you were coping it made me realize the best thing for _both of us_ isn't staying away from each other. In any other universe, if you weren't my teacher or I was a little older this would all be totally-"

She's cut off by lips on her lips and hands on her face. She takes a step back for balance before immersing herself into the kiss, holding his shirt in a death grip with one hand as if he's going to disappear and placing the other on his neck, her thump pressed to his cheek as she tries to pull him impossibly closer. His tongue requests entrance into her mouth by gliding its way across her lips and she opens up, allowing access, their kiss growing sloppier by the second until he's walking her backwards to her bed.

She falls back and pulls him with her, pulling away from the kiss once he's on top of her so she can look at him for a moment. He's flushed, as is she, she guesses, and his eyes are looking at her in a way they never have.

"I love you," he whispers, stealing another wet kiss from her lips before pulling away and repeating himself. "I love you," another kiss, "I love you."

Her throats tightens and her eyes sting with the threat of tears. "I love you too," she responds as he starts to place soft kisses over her face and on her jaw, down to her neck, on her collarbone. His hands trail the length of her arms softly before he's at her shoulders and lightly tugging at the straps of her slip. She arches her back so he can pull it down to just above her belly button and then his eyes devour her bare breasts.

A moment later they're wrapped up in kisses again, his hands are tangled in her hair and she's already halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. He shoves it off his shoulders as soon as she's done and they move further up the bed so her head can rest on her pillows without breaking the kiss.

His rough hands run their way down her legs and hike up her knee before disappearing between her legs. His fingers find the hem of her panties, and they hook around the lacy underwear before pulling them down torturously slow, and then he slides a single finger inside of her, pulling out a moment later, muttering _"so wet_ " before attacking her neck with bites that have her moaning softly and arching her back.

Regina has missed this. So much.

She claws her hands down his torso and is disappointed when she reaches his v-line to find he's still clad in denim jeans.

Can't have him overdressed.

With more effort and less grace than she assumed she'd need, she flips them over and lands half-hazard on top of him, her hair falling in front of her face. "Fuck," she hisses, crimson blush tinting her cheeks. She hears his chuckle lightly as his hands stroke lazily up and down her back. "That was... less smooth than I thought it would be."

She rights herself quickly, brushing her hair from her face and straddling him, hands quickly finding the waistband of his jeans and giving them a tug after they're unbuttoned. He lets out a breathless groan, hands toying with her breasts as he arches so she can ruck his jeans down for him, his boxers along with them so he's completely bare in front of her. "That's better," she whispers, biting her lip and swiveling her chocolate eyes to meet his lust-filled blue ones. He swallows visibly, his gaze dark with desire.

She's completely naked save for the slip currently bunched up around her waist, but with one swift move she pulls it over her head and tosses is to one side. Placing both hands on his chest, she drags her nails down slowly on a path they both know will end up exactly where he wants her hands to be. She bites her sore lip and hoods her eyes, whispering seductively; "so, Mr Locksley, exactly how much have you missed me?"

"Fuck," he hisses, his eyes looking at her so fiercely she could break. "So fucking much, baby. So much."

She smirks as her hands move lower, until she has him in the palm of her hand. He closes his eyes and groans, hands gripping her hips tightly, and she can't help but lean down and kiss him, his hands end up tangled in her hair again, pulling her face closer as nips her lip before soothing the bite with his tongue. She scoots her body up a little, so their sexes are almost touching, and she's so ready for him to fill her again after all of this time. For them to be together, their slick, sweaty bodies slapping against each other, their-

"Wait," she pulls away from the kiss quickly, eyes wide and alert, panic setting in her stomach. Robin frowns, giving her a concerned look. She puts a finger to his lips and whispers; "did you hear that?"

They listen for a moment to nothing but silence and their breathing, and he shakes his head. Regina is sure she just heard-

"Regina?" She hears it again, with a light knocking this time that has her heart freezing. Mary Margaret.

As quick as lightning, Regina scoops up her slip and throws it over her head, clambering off of Robin (whose quiet protest of _"babe"_ doesn't stop her) and racing to her bedroom door.

Normally she wouldn't make such an effort to answer to her step sister, but these circumstances are different. One; Robin is here and in the rare possibility that Mary Margaret enters her room they're totally busted, two; their parents are away so it could be really important and she's the 'adult' of the house, and three; she was about to have some really fucking good sex and she needs Mary Margaret to go away if she wants to proceed.

She hauls open the door despite knowing she looks like she's been doing _exactly_ what she _has_ been doing, with mussed up hair, swollen lips and a rosy tinge to her cheeks, yet she's even more shocked to find that upon opening the door it's like staring into a mirror.

Mary Margaret's long black tresses are also ruffled in a way that match her clearly well kissed lips and flushed cheeks. For a moment they just stare at each other, before her step sister raises a questioning eyebrow, to which Regina folds her arms.

"What?" Regina snaps, using her body to block the room behind her.

Mary Margaret purses her lips and narrows her eyes. "I uh... just let David out and heard something... concerning coming from your room. I didn't hear anybody come in earlier so I figured you were alone and something was wrong."

The stupid girl is smug. As nice and gentle and sickly sweet as the girl is, she also knows how to be a brat from time to time. She's not as soft as she seems.

"Right," Regina rasps, irritated, "well nothing is wrong so if you could just..." she indicates brushing the girl away with her palm before Mary Margaret smirks.

"Who is it?"

Regina scoffs, "none of your business!"

"Come on, Regina! Is it Percy Knight?"

That single insinuation irks Regina to the point of anger. "No. Now go away before I tell your father you had your _innocence_ taken. And on a _school night_ , no less."

That instantly shuts the girl up and she gives Regina one last once over before walking off to her bedroom.

Regina sighs and closes the door, turning to face a perplexed Robin.

"Okay, it's kinda weird that I'm going to see her in class tomorrow and yet I know that I've been naked in her house... fooling around with her hot sister."

She smirks at him, all sexy and naked, and stalks her way to the bed, clearing her throat and stripping off the slip she'd put on. "Hmmm, maybe you fooling around with her _step_ sister isn't such a bad thing," she tuts, climbing on top of him, "after all I am more than willing."

Robin reaches down and squeezes her ass before licking his lips eagerly. "So," he growls, cupping the back of her head with his free hand and yanking her mouth to his for a quick, passionate kiss, "where were we, Mills?"

* * *

Can I interest you in leaving a review for me maybe...? Okay, see ya next time.


	14. Third Degree

_Okay lol sorry for the wait, but I'm a busy 17 year old with a social life so I don't always have time to write and also have big lacks of inspo at times so... sorry if I left it a while, since I promised some people I'd update really frequently. I know it's like kinda late rn but I figured that I better post this before I go to bed._

 _It's gonna be smooth sailing for a while so expect fluff and smut and a bit of a long chat in the next few chapters... (btw I'm posting another chapter tomorrow and then one more on the weekend)_

 _Other than that, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologise for any mistakes :* ((oh yh that's another thing; I'm actually British but I tried to write this in American (that sounds ridiculous) so if I accidentally spell things the British way then lol, sorry))._

* * *

Emma is glaring at her hard on Thursday morning. They're having breakfast at the GH, a tradition their friendship group used to have but hasn't kept up with since after Spring Break. They'd all agreed to meet this morning before revision sessions in first period for the math exam next week, and herself and Emma had found themselves the earliest there.

Right away her friend had realized something was different about Regina and began giving her the third degree.

Now she's glaring at Regina, who is blushing into her coffee.

"So it _was_ Robin?" Emma cocks up and eyebrow, pursing her lips in a way that seems intimidating. The blondes hair is up, for a change, and she isn't wearing a jumper under her blazer like normal. LA is getting warmer, the kind of humid warmth that has windows being opened and still not enough breeze passing through, with blazing sunlight on their backs and skies the clearest of blue. A constant reminder that their time in high school is almost over and soon they'll be free for the summer.

Still, that leaves Emma's unanswered question still waiting to be answered. "Yes."

Emma's eyes widen and her mouth gapes open. " _Seriously_?"

Regina scoffs and rolls her eyes, glancing up at the door impatiently for the arrival of Daniel, Graham and Tink. The sooner they get here the sooner the awkward questions will be over.

"Regina! Are you guys crazy? You've been doing so well-"

"Not really, Emma, and to be honest it isn't really any of your business."

The comment hurts her best friend, she can see the pain in her eyes. She instantly concedes from arguing with Regina and blinks a few times. "If you're gonna be a bitch about it then fine. I don't want it to be my business."

Regina huffs and shakes her head. "Look, I'm sorry. I know we usually share everything but I'm not used to it being this... serious."

"You know I'd never judge you, Regina. I'm just concerned."

"I know, Emma, but me and Robin have talked about it. I'm only at school for a few more weeks and then I'm out."

"When did this even happen?" Emma asks, turning her own head to the door to see where exactly all of their friends are.

"Last night. Something happened between us in school, and then we had another argument, and then I went home and relaxed and he texted me. Kinda went from there. I asked him to come over and we... we had sex. And then we talked over everything. He's determined to be with me, he's sure that if we're careful we won't get caught and he's right. We won't. And then he snuck out around midnight which is why I'm knackered this morning. And not just because it was a late night."

Emma finally cracks a knowing smile. "Wow you guys are really sure about this, huh?"

Regina nods enthusiastically. "I am. We are. This is what I want and what he wants. We're just going to have to be quiet about it."

Just then, loud voices interrupt the quiet of the café, and cool morning air is brushed into the room. Everybody turns to take a disapproving look at the overly rowdy Graham and Daniel, with poor Tink walking quietly behind them.

"Jheeze, guys, it's still morning!" Emma tuts from her seat, her body pivoted so she can see them all. "And there are people trying to eat breakfast."

Graham ignores his girlfriend and scoots into the booth to sit next to her, throwing his arm around her shoulder so he can pull her cheek to his lips. He kisses her with a loud smack.

Daniel climbs in next to Regina as Tink asks both the boys what they're having. Both answer the same, black coffee and a doughnut, before handing Tink some dollar bills so she can go up and order for them. It's something she always does if they all come in together.

"So how are my favorite ladies this morning?" Graham asks, looking to Emma and then Regina. His eyebrows raise when he meets her eyes. "Someone got lucky last night."

She screws up her features and presses a hand to her chest. "Ugh, fuck off, Graham!" She mutters over him and Emma's laughter, "how did you even work that out, Sherlock?"

"She's not even denying it!" Graham cries as Daniel shifts uncomfortably next to her. "And your cheeks are redder than a sore arse and your lips are swollen like a motherfucker."

Emma hits her boyfriend hard on the leg.

"Well there's no point denying it to you guys, but under no circumstances am I giving you more than whatever information you have. Which is only that I, and I quote, _'got lucky last night'_."

Tink comes back with everyone's orders at that moment, and she scoots in next to Graham and Emma with a frown. "Did I just hear you say you got lucky last night?"

"Yes, she did," Daniel answers, digging into the paper bag containing his doughnut. "She won't shut up about it."

The mood shifts.

"Excuse me?" Regina asks incredulous. Everyone's eyes fix on the pair.

"To be perfectly honest, Regina, I don't really want to know about your sex life."

"Thanks for the input, Daniel, but I don't really want to _share_ my sex life either. It's Graham who implied, I simply confirmed," she spits, "I didn't really want to know about _your_ sex life but I still managed to hear about you kissing that slut whilst _we_ were dating, how funny."

Daniel shoves his doughnut away, muttering, "you're still hung up on that?"

"What, like you're still hung up on me?"

Emma and Tink's eyebrows shoot to their hairline as Graham sucks in a breath and grimaces. Daniel grits his teeth and blows out some air in a long, drawn out sigh. "You can be such a bitch sometimes," he growls eventually.

Regina laughs sarcastically and looks at him. "I'm not the one who cheated, you're the bitch. We broke up _months_ ago, Daniel. Get over it."

"It wasn't me who ended the relationship, though," he retorts, glaring at her, "and you're a little full of yourself to assume I'm _not_ over it."

"Okay, guys, that's enough," Emma steps in, awkwardly looking at the pair of them. When people in the group fall out it's unfair on the rest of them since they can't choose sides. It's exactly why, after their break up, Regina chose to remain civil friends with Daniel. They've been good at the _friendly exes_ thing until recently. Now that she's moving on it's all being brought back.

She doesn't like arguing with him, because despite him being a total asshole most of the time, he does watch out for Regina and everyone in their group. He sticks up for them, backs them in arguments, gives half good advice, and him and Graham are like brothers. It's too late for them to start something petty now.

Regina will be the bigger person, as always. "I apologize, Daniel, if me talking about my sex life offends you. I won't speak about it anymore. I don't even _want_ to speak about it. But what I won't do is apologize for moving on."

The four of them look to Daniel for his response. He simply licks his lips and shrugs. "Whatever."

And then he gets up and storms out, leaving his breakfast in the middle of the table.

"Well I guess he doesn't want a ride to school," Emma muses.

* * *

The windows are open, the air con is on, his blazer is off and yet Robin is still sweating.

He's in third period, attempting to teach his eleventh graders in this sweltering heat, whilst also ignoring the fact that Mary Margaret is directly in his eye line.

 _Don't think about last night with her hot sister. Don't think about last night with her hot sister._

He's in a much better mood, this morning, despite his lack of sleep. He finally feels like this is his first day working at this school that he hasn't dreaded coming here. Nothing hanging over him, no regret or fear or sadness. He's content.

If it wasn't for this damn heat he would probably be able to actually keep the attention of the class and do his job. Instead, they're all bothered and lazy and groaning about how warm it is. This heat thing had never really been a problem in England, and the students in his last school in America were always intolerant of everything anyway, but here the students have always been moderately well behaved and polite. Now they're hot and bothered.

"Okay, class!" He calls out to get their attention once he can see that more than half of them are no longer writing annotations, "stand up, we're going outside!"

They all seem uneasy and confused, most of them hesitating until the students that he can rely on, (Mary Margaret, David and their friends) stand up and do as he says. The rest follow, and soon enough they're out in the west field by the stables, stood in a line.

"Now we're all out in the... not really much cooler air, I'd like to quiz you. And hopefully the fact that your brains are now awake from that walk, and now that the sunshine is gleaming down on all of your not-eager-enough-faces, you'll answer these questions correctly."

They all mutter and groan, yet there's a few of them perking up, and David is practically beaming with a smile as bright as the sun. Robin remembers Regina saying something about her step sister and him getting busy last night also, which has probably left the young lad in a better mood.

"They'll start off easier and get harder as we go along. The person with the most correct answers gets a...a..."

"Some quality tutoring with Mr Locksley maybe...?"

He knows he's attractive. He knows students find him attractive (one particular student crosses his mind and takes him back to last night) and he knows that they're quite cheeky about this attraction. But it's inappropriate and he raises his eyebrows at the girls comment. "Okay, enough of that please, Ella," he rolls his eyes, "now let's get to the questions. What is the name of-"

He's cut off by a loud ringing sound which he, and everyone else, recognizes as the school bell. Before he even has a chance to dismiss them, they're racing back to the classroom to collect their things since they have another class next and then lunch. He sighs and follows after them, but at a slower pace because he doesn't have a lesson next.

He expects his room to be empty by the time he reaches it, but he's faced with a much more pleasant sight.

Regina. Regina perched on his desk, one bare leg over the other, biting her lip. Her school skirt is hitched high on her thigh, revealing the lace of what he assumes are her stockings. He licks his lips.

"Anyone could've walked in," he manages to say, locking the door and closing the blinds before striding over to her. He kisses her on the mouth as he stands over her, with her head tilted back so she can reach his lips. He pulls away and rests his head on hers.

"I left the blinds open so that I could see you walking past. _Only_ when I saw you did I sit up here and hitch my skirt," she whispers back, their breath mingling between them. "Do you like your surprise, sir?"

The label doesn't make him grimace like it used to. Now he finds it one of the sexiest things that could come out of her mouth. "I love it," he says, kissing her quickly, "it was hard looking at you all of first period and not being able to say anything. But babe, what class are you skipping right now?"

She shakes her head as best she can while they're this close and quickly pulls him in for another quick kiss. "I have a study period so I was just in the library with Emma," she responds when she pulls away.

"And you want to skip studying for me, huh?" He smirks, attaching their lips for longer this time so they can kiss with more passion, heavy breaths mingling from their noses. She pulls away this time and rubs their noses together. "I'm not trying to be a bad influence by encouraging this skipping of studying, but I can't say I'm not pleased you're here."

Regina sighs softly and plays with his hands between them. "I know but it got so boring."

Robin pulls back a little from her and looks at her seriously. "Come over tonight and I'll make you dinner, but for now we do really need to be extra careful with this. Twice in the past, teachers have tried to get in while that door was locked and you were in here, remember? It's going to look suspicious if they keep coming to talk to me and you're in here."

She pouts at him. "What, teachers like _Mal_? What's your sudden interest in her anyway? You've been hanging out a lot."

"No we haven't," he chuckles, finding her absolutely adorable when she's pouty, "we _almost_ get along. I'm pretty sure she wants to bite my head off most of the time. Anyway, I only have eyes for this one absolutely drop dead gorgeous woman."

They have a hand roaming kiss, their lips gliding over each others as their hands run over skin and get tangled in hair until they're absolutely breathless. And then he's pulling away and pulling her softly from the desk so she's standing. "Now go do your studying, I'll see you at mine tonight."

* * *

Regina leaves his classroom with a smile on her face and butterflies in her stomach. _Finally_ it's going back to normal. This mess which they'd spent too long trying to push away, instead of fixing, is finally being tidied up. She understands the risks and the damage it could cause but that is only if somebody finds out, and nobody apart from Emma knows, and she can trust Emma with her life.

She wanders back into the library where Tink is chewing on some form of granola and writing notes at their messy table, and Emma has her head stuck in some kind of book. Neither acknowledge her arrival, so she takes a seat quietly and opens her own math notes.

It isn't even five minutes later when somebody clears their throat from next to them.

" _What_?" Regina growls when she looks up to face Mary Margaret stood over her nervously.

Her step sister swivels her eyes around the table and then is bold enough to take a seat. "I need to ask you something."

Well _this_ is interesting.

"About?"

Mary Margaret gnaws on her lip. "It's uhm... private."

Tink and Emma perk up at that moment, looking at the two step sisters. "Pretend we're not here, we'll totally be concentrating on our work," Tink insists.

"And on the off chance that we overhear something interesting, maybe we'll give you some bomb advice," Emma follows on, overly nosy.

Mary Margaret hesitates and then sighs. "It's about last night."

Regina frowns and faces the girl properly, now, since before she was only half listening whilst still writing notes. "What _about_ last night?"

She considers that, yes, she'd been aware that David and Mary Margaret had been up to something, but she still has no confirmation of what that something was. Or, she could be talking about their altercation last night. What if she caught a glimpse of who was laying in Regina's bed?

"Well, as you know, David was over last night. And we've been dating a while and I'm _sure_ he's 'The One'... so we decided to do something."

Regina narrows her eyes. "I _really_ don't want details of you losing your virginity."

Her step sister shakes her head and almost looks annoyed. "Can you take this seriously? I'm asking you a serious question here."

This _must_ be serious if Mary Margaret is willing to actually piss Regina off before getting advice.

"Okay, she'll be serious. Go on," Emma says, nudging Regina and then placing her hand under her chin and looking at Mary Margaret to continue like she'd even been invited into the conversation.

Mary Margaret looks uneasily at Emma and then back to her step sister. "We didn't use protection."

Tink almost chokes on her granola bar. "Holy _shit_ ," she splutters, knocking her hands to her chest to try and clear her airways.

Mary Margaret looks to Regina alarmed, and Regina decides that maybe this conversation _does_ need to be taken with a lot more care and consideration. "Tink, please stop with the dramatics," Regina looks to her friend, and then back to her step sister. "So, what? You're worried that he might... have something? Like an STD?"

Mary Margaret is quick to shake her head. "No, no no no, of course not. He's never been with anyone but me, so he says, so I'm not worried about that," she quickly responds, "it's just that he didn't exactly... pull himself out at the end and uhm..."

Emma is next to respond with a grimace on her face, "he came inside you?"

Her step sisters cheeks go bright red at the term, and she bites her lip and nods.

Regina looks over at Emma with an alarmed look on her face because it's not like she was ever expecting to be helping her step sister, who she will always _say_ that she can't stand, with sex advice. Heck, she didn't even expect Mary Margaret to get into a situation like this until Regina was out of the house and off to college. But she can't help but feel slightly honored that the girl feels comfortable enough with her that she is seeking help with something so sensitive.

"Right," Regina starts, looking back to her step sister and mulling over the possibilities. "Well when do you usually come on your period? Is it coming soon?"

Mary Margaret shakes her head. "I just came off last week."

Regina sighs loudly. "That means you're probably in your fertile window, which means it's probably most likely to get pregnant in this time-" she's interrupted by Mary Margaret's soft sob, "don't _cry_ you idiot, I'm just saying that _usually_ it's the easiest time to get pregnant. It doesn't mean you are. And you can probably still take the morning after pill."

The younger girl is still sobbing a little, fresh tears streaming from her eyes. "Where do I even get that?"

Emma stands and rounds to Mary Margaret's other side, putting an arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "Look, kid, I know it's scary but there are plenty of fixes for this kinda thing, okay? You get the pill from the pharmacy, but you can probably get one from the school nurse."

"No! No, I don't want there to be a record of me buying it! Daddy _cannot_ find out!"

Regina rolls her eyes but still places a comforting hand on the girls arm. "Your father won't find out. These are confidential."

Mary Margaret scoffs through her tears. "You honestly believe he won't have some form of inside person that will read my name and then run to tell him? He's powerful. And your mother is on the board, Regina. They'll find out somehow."

She's right. Leo and Cora could probably find out just about anything if they were interested enough. If Mary Margaret's name is on a computer system that links her to taking the pill, Leo could find out somehow. So could Cora.

"I... I can get it for you," Emma suggests, and for a moment Regina feels a pang of intense gratitude to her best friend for making her step sisters situation easier.

"I can't ask you to do that-"

"Hey, I'd do just about anything for Regina, and despite the fact that you guys are at each others throats all the time I _know_ she cares about you. So I'll help you, okay?"

Regina smiles at Emma and then rubs a hand over Mary Margaret's arm. "And then next time _promise_ me you'll be more careful?" Regina says seriously.

Her step sister nods and then cries a little harder for a few moments. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry that I've gotten myself in this mess."

Tink finally speaks up from her place opposite the table. "Hey, there's no mess, yet. It's just a tiny little possibility that needs to be taken care of. The real mess will be if you _don't_ take that pill and you do end up being pregnant."

Mary Margaret's eyes widen at Tink and then she snaps her head in Emma's direction. "Okay, will you get this pill for me?"

Emma nods, smiles, and stands from her place. "Of course."

* * *

His doorbell rings a little earlier than he expected. It's just after five, and he'd only gotten home around half an hour before since he'd been doing marking at the school.

Still, he stretches and hauls himself off of the sofa, before walking to his front door to let who he assumes is Regina, in.

It's her, and she smiles when she sees him, big and pretty with her perfect teeth showing. "Hey," she chirps, stepping into his house.

Robin closes the door and turns to greet her properly, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her flush to his chest. "Hey," he replies crashing his lips to hers. They stay close and kissing for over a minute, and even after their kiss finishes they don't step away from each other. Regina rests her head on his shoulder and he sways them lightly. "How was your day?"

He feels her sigh against him. "Long. A little tiring. And my step sister had a problem that we needed to see to. Other than that, I've just been looking forward to seeing you."

He smiles and squeezes her a little, before finally separating their bodies and looking at her. He brushes some hair behind her ear and cups her cheek. "I couldn't wait to see you either, beautiful," he says. "I haven't started cooking yet... I'd ask you to help out but I seem to recall returning home to a smoking house at one point."

Regina hits him on the arm as they walk hand in hand to the kitchen. "One time. It was _one_ time."

He chuckles and kisses the side of her head before detaching their hands and walking to the fridge. "I was thinking of cooking some chicken breast and asparagus or something light like that."

She hums in response and joins him in looking in the fridge. "That sounds nice. Will there also be dessert after this dinner?"

Robin acts like he's mulling over it and then whispers, "there most certainly will be," suggestively.

He gets to making their dinner whilst she sits on the sofa and goes over some of her notes and watches bits and pieces on TV. He can't help but feel this constant bubble of happiness that they've given it another shot, that she's here in his house like they used to be. He regrets pushing her away before. He regrets not even considering that maybe she's worth more to him than the minuscule possibility that they get found out. Everything they did was legal until he became her teacher, but he won't be for much longer. They just have to wait a while.

"That looks delicious," she makes him jump by coming up behind him and circling his waist with her arms. He smiles and continues to fry the asparagus.

"I should hope so, otherwise we'll be starving after."

Regina chuckles. "I wasn't talking about the food, but that does smell good too." She unwraps her arms from around him and walks to the cupboard to get some plates. She sets them by him so he can plate their food, which he does as she pours the drinks.

Robin brings the plates to the table and Regina brings their drinks, setting them in front of each place before taking a seat. She waits for Robin to turn off the oven and then he joins her at the table, waiting for her to take the first bite so she can give him her opinion.

She scoops a mouthful into her mouth and chews, before smiling at him. "Damn, this is delicious."

Robin chuckles and digs in to his own dinner. "Well your opinion means a lot to me, and I know you have good taste since you're totally into _me_ , so thanks."

Regina kicks him under the table. "You're so full of yourself."

"I'm kidding, I'm just glad it isn't a take out for once, and it certainly isn't burnt food provided by you."

She drops her fork and folds her arms. "Fine, I refuse to feed your ego. I won't eat it."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Well I guess you won't be getting dessert either then," he smirks. She narrows her eyes at him for a moment but he refuses to rise to it, and then picks up her fork.

"Fine, you win."

He laughs and leans in for a kiss. She meets him half way and gives him a peck. "So what was up with your sister then? You said she had a problem."

" _Step_ sister! And she was just stupid and got herself into something that could've changed her whole life," she sighs.

"Wow, I can't imagine her doing anything _that_ bad. She's such a..."

"I get what you mean," Regina nods, "trust me, _I_ was even surprised."

"What happened?"

"I... well she uhm... you can't tell anybody this, but she slept with David and they didn't use protection. We went to get her the morning after pill and Emma did it for her since our parents are rather... intuitive and thorough."

Robin's eyebrows shoot up and he swallows his food in one big gulp. "What!? I was definitely not expecting that. Isn't she on the contraceptive pill or anything?"

Regina shakes her head. "I mean she's never been sexually active before so I guess she didn't really think about it. They probably didn't even plan it, it just felt right and they trusted each other."

"Well at least it's sorted. I can't imagine how that would've affected her future," he muses. It doesn't escape him that he and Regina could've easily found themselves in a similar situation had she not been on the pill. It also doesn't escape him that he feels a small sense of fear at the idea...

Maybe they should be more careful, too.

"Did you and your wife ever try for a baby?" She asks suddenly, and he only just about survives the choking match he has with his food due to the question. "Sorry. You don't have to answer."

Robin shakes his head and coughs a few more times to clear his airways. He quickly grabs his drink and takes a few sips. "No it's fine," he rasps, "I mean it was a long time ago."

Regina smiles and looks at him, urging him to continue. "Yes. We did try. It was just after we got married and that was the next step... a baby. At the time, a baby with Marian was everything I could've wanted. It's why we bought this house, so we could prepare."

He notices that her smile doesn't fade, but it grows sad behind the eyes. "But when we moved here and she became a qualified nurse, her hours were much longer than she assumed they would be. Any talk of a child after that just kind of... strained us."

Robin watches her nod and then look back down at her plate, before taking another bite of food.

"I see," is all she says.

"What is it?" He asks, putting down his cutlery and giving her his full attention.

She doesn't look up. "Nothing I just... I don't know," she drops her fork and meets his eyes, "I just never really pictured you guys happy."

He furrows his brows. "I don't understand?"

"Like, I know you were in love with her. Of course you were, that's why you were so devastated after the divorce. It's just I never... don't worry. It's nothing."

He reaches a hand over to her and places it over hers. "Talk to me, Regina."

Her eyes move to watching their hands, and she sighs softly. "I never really pictured your life together. I figured you must've loved her but I always painted her as this... awful woman. And I always pictured your marriage as this thing that was super unhappy. That's what you told me it was."

"I was angry, back then. I was angry that my marriage had ended and I missed _having_ someone. I needed to get wrapped up in something and it was _you_. You were somebody to have and to talk to so I let my anger out and yes, I painted a bad picture. Being with Marian wasn't all bad, but towards the end it really was unhappy."

Regina doesn't say anything, and he thinks he's really upset her, but then she meets his eye with a shy smile. "I'm sorry if I dulled the mood."

He smiles back. "You didn't, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you can always tell me what's bothering you. I know we haven't really spoken about... many serious things. But to be honest I didn't ever expect _this_ to get serious. You were only supposed to be..." he trails off, and she squeezes his hand.

"Robin, it's okay. I know I was a rebound. A one night stand. But it's more than that now."

Suddenly he feels overwhelmingly awful.

He remembers being in the classroom the day he told Regina he didn't love her, a lie to get her off of his back. A lie he now realizes was so much worse than he thought. _'I know a was a rebound.'_

It echoes in his head. She _was_ a rebound but then they became so much more, and instead of admitting that at first he told her she was _exactly that._ Told her that he didn't love her and that she was just somebody to mess around with to get over his wife.

No wonder she'd been so upset.

"I'm so sorry, Regina."

Regina looks surprised by his apology. She tilts her head to the side and frowns at him prettily. "Sorry? Robin you don't need to apologize for anything."

"No, I do. I do, I really, really do. You told me you loved me and I pushed you away. I've never been so stupid," he looks at her, really looks at her so she knows he's serious. "I will never be able to make up for that."

"You needed to do something. You were panicking. I get it, I understand," she says with a wobble in her voice. "And you admitted it afterwards anyway."

He shakes his head again. "I only admitted it to get you off my back. You told me to admit my feelings and you'd go away and that's why I said it. I meant it, but it was still for my benefit."

"Robin you're getting worked up over things you don't need to. I'm okay, _I understand_."

She doesn't understand. He needs to get this off of his chest. He treated her so badly, and she just took it. She accepted that he was pushing her away and then she tried to sort herself out, and then he came along begging for her back. He's selfish. He's so selfish.

"Robin are-"

He detaches their hands. "I can't believe how stupid I was, Regina. You deserve better, so much better-"

"Stop it, Robin-"

"No, you were right the whole time. I was so worried about everything else that I didn't even think about what I was doing to you. And then I changed my mind and asked for you back and you were right to reject me. You were so right."

He watches her close her eyes and reign in her emotions, breathing softly but deeply. "Robin, I do know all of this. You don't have to recap the last few weeks to me. I'm not an idiot, I didn't get back with you because you manipulated me into it. I want to be with you, mistakes and all."

He sucks in a breath and lets it gush out. "I know. I know you're not an idiot. I'm not repeating it as if you don't already know it, I'm repeating it because I've only just realized how damaging everything I did was."

"Okay," she nods in understanding, "okay if you feel like you need to say this then do it, but don't get worked up over it. It's done, and guess what? We've come out stronger than ever."

"I just wish I hadn't been such an idiot. If we don't acknowledge this it's going to build up between us and you'll end up resenting me and I'll end up regretting every word I've ever said."

"That's not true," she insists.

"No, it is. We can't just push the last few weeks out of our minds. It's a huge... huge thing. And I just want you to know that I'm sorry and I was such an idiot. Don't pretend that I wasn't."

"Fine, you were an idiot. You did wrong, but so did I. I wasn't honest with you when we first met and that's what caused all of this in the first place. Robin, I forgive you. I forgive you and I love you. Do you forgive me for everything I did?"

She's so smart. This gorgeous, complicated, marvel of a woman is so damn smart that it kills him. She knows just what to say, just how to word things to highlight that it's not all bad. Regina could turn the sky pink just by whispering a few words to him and that is truly how clever her pretty brain is. She's turned his burst of insecurity and self loathing into something they can both share. She's forgiven him and asked him to forgive her, by also highlighting her mistakes.

Robin doesn't think he could love another woman more.

"Of course. Of course I can. I love you," he forgets his dinner and leans over and kisses her unexpectedly. "I love you, and I'm sorry and I forgive you."

"Do you feel better now?" She whispers into the space between them. He nods and pulls back from her.

"I do. Thank you... And I'm sorry for putting a downer on dinner."

Regina shakes her head. "No problem, because just like you said I can always talk to _you_ , you can always talk to _me_. I'm not saying it didn't hurt, but not everything you did was unreasonable. We've both been selfish but at least we can acknowledge our mistakes, and move on."

"Now that we've spoken about it, I'd like nothing more."

* * *

Stay tuned for tomorrow's update ;). Thank you for reading x


	15. Mr Boyfriend

_Okay I'm sorry, I know I said there would be three consecutive updates but then my phone broke and I was visiting my nan without my laptop so I couldn't upload and then college started and everything just got so busy so I couldn't proof read this chapter to post it but here I am. Better late than never, right?_

 _I know I always say this but I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, I struggle with filler stuff which is why I have two VERY far in the future chapters written already WAY ahead of time. Those ones have content and juice and I love writing them, so I end up kinda side tracking the smaller chapters (like this one)._

 _Also I'd like to thank sparkles21_ for helping me out with part of this chapter when I got a little picky about it, you should definitely check out her stories!_

 _Anyway, I at least hope you enjoy, things are gonna get a little... complicated soon._

 _... Now to the chapter!_

* * *

 _Holy shit._

Crap. Crap, holy mother of mistakes, what the _fuck_?

She's disoriented and half asleep, her eyes barely cracking open against the sunlight, wrapped up around a naked body that she shouldn't be at this very moment. _Fuck_.

" _Robin_ ," she whines, nudging him and his snoring body hard as she shoves the arm he has draped over her away. "Robin get up! I fell asleep!"

He winces cutely, but doesn't wake, sighing heavily and reaching for her again. She pushes him away and stands from the bed, checking her phone and then grabbing his shirt from somewhere on the floor and pulling it onto her bare arms. "Robin, I swear to God," she spits, turning around and slapping him hard on the arm. He jumps slightly, groaning at the shock of pain and barely opening his eyes to look at her. "Robin we fell asleep! It's Friday, I have to be at school by _eight_ today for revision and I-"

"Okay, okay, I'm up," he mutters gruffly, sleep still heavy in his voice as he sits up and gets his bearings. "What time is it?"

She's rushing around his room grabbing the uniform she'd stripped off in various places last night, bending down to grab her knickers from just under his bed. "Just after six," she replies, and then she rolls her eyes at his responding groan.

"It's still early," he flops back on his bed.

"I wasn't supposed to stay the night, Robin, not on a school night. We fell asleep and now I need to go home, get clean underwear and a clean shirt, shower, do my hair-"

"Babe, calm down," he says way too calmly, and she stops what she's doing to glare at him. "Your shirt is fine, you can just do your hair here and I'm more than certain you have clean underwear in that drawer from a few weeks ago," he points over to his chest of drawers.

She sighs and walks back over to the bed, plopping down onto it. "You were supposed to keep me awake," she murmurs, looking into her lap.

"I was just as tired as you were, after all that... dessert."

It makes her smile at the memory of them last night, their dinner long forgotten as they exchanged passionate kisses and eager gropes and heated moans. But still, "I left Mary Margaret in the house alone all night, mother and Leo trusted us to look after one another whilst they're away and-"

"And what difference would it have made? You always say how much you guys avoid each other," he argues.

"This time is different. She was upset yesterday and got herself into that mess and she might've needed someone."

"Did she call you? Text you?" He asks, and Regina shakes her head because she'd checked her phone just before she'd slapped him awake. Had seen the time and realized she'd accidentally stayed the night. None of her notifications were missed calls or texts from her step sister. "So she's probably fine, she probably had David over and didn't even realize you weren't home."

Regina shoots him a doubtful look, because Mary Margaret _must've_ noticed her absence.

"Even if she did, she knows you're seeing someone. She almost walked in on us the other day. She probably thinks you're with mystery guy," he supplies.

She nods and swallows, before laying back and cuddling up to him for a quick kiss. "Okay, as long as you're sure I have underwear here. I'll go take a shower," she goes to move but he grips onto her.

"We have time babe, wait a bit," he groans, sliding his hand up her arm softly. She hums quietly and closes her eyes for a moment, relaxing into him as he pecks small kisses on her neck and jaw and shoulders. She really should be getting up. She needs to shower, and then do her hair, which is probably going to be a struggle without her hair butter to tame her curls, and hair brush and - _ohhhh,_ Robin has just hit a delicious spot on her neck that has her eyes rolling back and a quiet moan making it's way from her throat.

He nips, sucks and licks at the spot for a moment, and her breathing goes shallow, even more so when he shifts so he's hovering above her, pinning her into the bed grinding his hips into hers, causing friction just where she needs it and " _ughh_ " she moans when he sucks particularity hard on her pulse point.

But if they get into this now... start something right this moment, they aren't going to be able to finish. If he carries on like he is, she isn't going to have time to get ready and so, "Robin," she says, running her hands up his arms, "I need to shower."

He grunts in acknowledgment but doesn't stop, just shifts his arms underneath her to wrap them around her waist, and then he pulls back with her in his arms and lifts them off the bed. Her arms go around his neck, her legs around his waist as he attaches his lips to hers and walks them blindly to his bathroom. He hits the wall a few times on the way, almost slams her back into the door when he opens it, but eventually they make it to the shower, and he reaches behind them, their lips still attached, and fumbles to turn it on.

She yelps at the cold shock and pulls back from him, and he finally settles her down so she's standing between him and the wall, the shirt that she's wearing clinging to her. He makes a point to shamelessly sweep his eyes over her body, appreciating smirk on his face as the water heats up and drenches them both.

"So gorgeous," he whispers.

And then they're kissing again, hot and wet, him fumbling with her shirt (which is actually his) and pulling it off her, and then he takes her hands, lifting them above her head and holding them there harshly. He presses into her, grinding his bare, slick hips into hers and running his free hand over her torso, up and up until he can cup one of her breasts in his hands. He squeezes and grabs, sending jolts of pleasure through her body which she can't help but acknowledge as she moans into his mouth.

When he leaves her lips and dives into her neck again, she can barely hear her own breathless whisper of, "this wasn't what I had in mind when I said I needed a shower."

He chuckles against her throat and nips. "Killing two birds with one stone," he responds in a low tone which is so attractive and manly that she moans at the sound of his voice. "I'll be quick."

She nods, tilts her head until his lips are close enough to hers that she can capture them in a passionate kiss, her body wanting and ready and _God she's turned on right now_. He lets go of her hands and lowers his to hitch her legs up around his waist, pressing her into the wet tiles whilst steaming water pours over them. His hands drift softly over her thighs, smoothing over them once they're wrapped securely around his waist. He positions himself, makes sure he has a good grip on her, and then enters her slowly, groaning loudly as he fills her. She bites her lip and breathes out shakily, and for a moment their eyes lock, the desire that is clear in his ocean blue gaze surely reflecting her own.

"You feel so good babe," he almost growls as he picks up a steady pace, holding tightly onto her whilst she grips at his shoulders, nails digging as he thrusts and thrusts, her pleasure intensifying with each one.

The angle he has is good, _so good_ , oh _God_ it's good and he's grunting in her ear, groaning and hissing and it's _doing_ things to her, making her own breaths come out labored and shaky, his palms rough and greedy on the soft skin of her thighs. And then he's going faster and harder, and she chokes back a moan which is taken over by the wet slapping sounds of their bodies, the air muggy and warm and fogged up because of the heat of the shower. She digs harder into his shoulders, whimpering in his ear as her pleasure sky rockets, her body quivering and throbbing, his hot chest pressed slick against hers, breathing right against her, hitting _this spot_ again and again which sends shock waves through her veins, her walls tensing around him because she's close, _so close_.

"So close," she whispers incoherently, its more of a breathy moan but he understands and begins to suck hard at the spot behind her ear to cover his own moans, and _fuck_ this feels good, so good, she's so glad they-

He comes before her, with a loud grunt and curse words hissed right into her ear, and she feels him spilling inside her. He keeps up his pace as best he can, she can feel his arms shaking under her and _shit_ she needs to hurry up, needs to- _fuck._ His mouth is on her breasts, and he's not going soft either. He's sucking and biting and _ugh_ , she thinks this is enough, this will be enough because now she can't control her heavy panting, now her moans are loud and, " _oh God,_ Robin, don't stop, don't- _fuck_ \- don't ever sto- _oh, oh._ "

Her orgasm hits, and his lips are back on hers before she can shout about it. She's gone slack jawed so she's not much use in the kissing department as pleasure courses through her body, release hitting her hard, her walls throbbing around him and suddenly she doesn't give a fuck if she's late to school or not. She's seeing stars, she's gone over the edge, her body is quivering with intense pleasure and the heat of the water is still splashing her skin, Robin is still pressed against her.

This was totally worth it.

He stops his thrusting and rests his head against hers, sighing heavily in an attempt to, no doubt, catch his breath. She drops her legs to the floor to give his arms a break and takes a moment to just stand under the hot spray of water.

That's one way to wake up after accidentally falling asleep at your _teachers_ house on a school night.

* * *

"They're all over the place at the moment," John says over a mouth full of his ham sandwich, spitting crumbs onto the polished wood of the table. They're in the canteen at lunchtime, chatting casually about nothing and everything.

School, classes, students, school, work, homework, school.

Basically nothing.

"They're stressed and messy and pleading for some kinda golden reference like the haven't been total brats all year," John finishes, and finally he swallows his sandwich and takes a sip of his coffee. Robin picks at his own PB&J, made specially by Regina this morning as he finished getting dressed, and nods in agreement. "Nah, they're not really _brats_ so to speak, but they're all entitled enough to be _expecting_ amazing grades."

"They do get pretty good grades. Exam season is bound to have them a little... fussy," Robin adds dryly, not really interested in this small talk. He's more interested in Regina, sitting a few tables away, directly opposite him. She knows he's looking, because she's biting her lip and stealing little glances at him every now and then. It has him flashing back to them this morning, the hot shower, her wet skin, those moans and-

"Robin?" John says louder, waving his sandwich in front of his face. "Where'd you go?"

Robin shakes his head and apologizes, reaching for his water bottle. "Daydreaming," he responds before taking a long sip.

"Huh," John narrows his eyes, "this isn't about the wife again is it?"

"No, of course not," Robin insists, just as they're interrupted by another voice.

"John, my man! This is where you got to this lunch time."

August.

August who Robin has barely spoken two words to since joining this school. The same August who John insists is _so boring_ it's like talking to a plank of wood.

"August," John high fives the hand that the other man holds out for him, "I was just catching up with Robin here."

"Oh, hey English," August acknowledges him like he's only just realized Robin was here, "Mal not around?"

 _Why_ on _Earth_ is he _so_ associated with _Mal_ of all people now? It's like he's spoken to her a few times and now he can't live it down, simply because she _can_ stand him when she _can't_ stand much of the other teaching staff.

"I wouldn't know," Robin sighs back, finally lifting his sandwich to take a bite.

August decides this is invitation enough to take a seat and start talking. "You guys hear about the state school curriculum switch next year? It's all going off right now. Complaints and all. For once I'm glad I work in this stuck up place and not down in Public school."

John rolls his eyes and gives Robin a pointed look which he can only assume means ' _told ya so_.'

"We heard," John replies, fiddling with his coffee cup in attempt to dismiss the dull conversation. The men sit quietly for a few moments, Robins eyes drifting over to Regina's table again where she's removed her blazer (its hot, really hot in here) so she's down to just a white shirt. A white shirt which is quite transparent against the black lace covering her breasts-

"He always do this?" August pulls Robin from his brief... distraction with his question.

John's eyebrows rise and fall. "He daydreams. Lot of head space. Lot to think about."

"I'm still here, you know," Robin mutters lightheartedly, and John smirks at him whilst August eyes both of them.

"So anyway, I _did_ actually come over for a reason," August continues, clearly missing Johns sly _'course you did'_ in response.. "A few of us are going out tonight. It's like a 'brace yourself before exams start' type of thing. You up for it?"

John is first to hold up his hands and sigh. "Fine, I'm in. I could use a night out."

Robin only registers that he needs to answer when both men look at him. A night out? It could be good but... he really wants to spend more time with Regina before her parents get back on Wednesday. They have a lot of catching up to do.

"He's daydreaming again. He'll come, though. Good chance for him to get to know the staff properly," he hears John say, and his head shoots up instantly.

"Actually, I can't," Robin protests.

"Why not?"

He sighs, "I have plans."

"I thought you were divorced," August frowns.

"And your parents live in England," John adds, "so what 'plans' do you have?"

Robin grits his teeth, "just... plans okay."

"Are you seeing someone? You didn't tell me you were seeing anyone?" John leans forward, and Robin groans.

"No, I'm not," he lies, because he can't exactly explain _who_ he's seeing. John would pry, and he doesn't need prying right now.

"Well then, come out and we'll get you laid," August shrugs, and Robin pinches his temples in frustration. A night out would be nice, especially if it helps him get to know his colleagues. He can always see Regina on Saturday. That way he can get these guys off his back.

"Fine, I'll come. But I'm not getting laid."

John and August both high five each other, and then August stands to take his leave. "First rounds on the newbie," he adds just before walking away.

* * *

She's walking to her car after school with Emma when her phone lights up with _'outlaw'_ and her ringtone blares out into the parking lot. She shoves her folder into Emma's arms and picks up the phone.

"Is everything okay?" Regina asks into her cell, because she's supposed to be on her way to Robins now, and if he's calling her right after school then their plans must've changed.

Sure enough, "yeah, everything's fine babe. It's just... I can't do tonight. I'm sorry," he says, and it sounds like he's driving.

"Why not?" It's not that she minds that he's cancelling (although she does, just a little) it's just that it's short notice and she's curious.

"I kinda made plans. A few of us from work are going out later."

Her heart swoops a little, and blonde hair and red lips are the first thing to flash through her brain. "Mal?"

"No," she can practically see his smirk on the other end, "it's not like that. But she might be there, since it's teachers going for a drink."

Still, she's disappointed at the limited time they'll have this weekend before exams start up next week and her parents return from their business trip. "Okay well... call me tomorrow if you're up for seeing me. Or text me, whatever."

"Stop pouting," he says, and she knows he knows her well enough to know she's pouting without having to see her. It puts a smile on his face, before he's continuing, "I'm sorry again. I love you."

"I love you too," she blushes, and they say their goodbyes and hang up.

"What'd Mr Boyfriend say?" Emma asks once they're at their cars, and Regina takes a look at the blonde and grimaces. She's holding a pile of revision books which looks painful to carry, as well as the notes Regina just shoved at her and her purse is slung over her shoulder filled with folders and pens.

"He can't do tonight, so I guess my weekend of good sex and lazing around is cancelled," Regina sighs, taking her stuff from Emma and then indicating to the rest of it. "Do you wanna get that crap in your car and then come over to mine to study? My mother isn't there to give you subtly disdainful glances."

Emma looks between her car, Regina and her books and then shrugs her shoulders. "Sure, maybe your house of success and smart people will encourage my brain to suddenly become smarter too."

Regina gives her a sarcastic smirk and eyes her friend. "You are smart, Emma," she scoffs, opening the blondes car door for her.

Emma knocks her elbow into Regina as best she can, before shoving the load she's carrying into the passenger seat and climbing into her car. "Don't be so soppy, Regina."

They stop off for snacks before arriving at Regina's, and then they seat themselves on her living room floor and spread out all of their notes.

Regina helps Emma through her math work, because math is Emma's weak spot, and then Mary Margaret comes home with David. They all talk for a few minutes, but then it gets awkward and the couple rush off upstairs to her room, leaving Emma and Regina alone once more.

"I really hope they're smart enough to wear a condom this time," Regina muses after a moment.

Emma grunts in agreement. "They're young, let them be stupid. Maybe she'll go on birth control."

Regina is quick to shake her head.

"My mother will ask _why_ she suddenly needs it. _I'm_ only on it because fortunately, or not, I get really painful periods and the doctor prescribed it. Mary has never really complained about stuff like that, so if she suddenly asks to go on the contraceptive pill my mother will asks questions, which will lead to her asking Leo, and then _Leo_ will ask questions, and Mary Margaret will spill everything because she's shit at keeping secrets."

Emma raises her eyebrows and nods. "Well then... remind me to thank my lucky stars everyday that my mother is a lenient, soft lady who owns an ice cream shop and only asks questions when she really needs to."

Regina laughs and shakes her head, envious of Emma's relationship with her mother for a moment. Emma gets to be imperfect, Emma gets to get things wrong, Emma gets to have bad days and Ingrid only ever loves her. It's ironic that Emma used to be jealous of Regina's relationship with her father. Ingrid has never had a partner, she adopted Emma alone, and Emma was very vocal about how lucky Regina was to have a loving father.

Well, he's dead now.

"You're lucky I guess."

"Hey, don't be like that. We all have perks," Emma shrugs softly.

Regina drops her pen to the page, "right. I have a bitch mother, a dead father, a stupid step sister and nobody to count on. Perks."

Emma is raising her eyebrows in a way that questions _are you finished?_ before taking a breath. "Your mother may be a bitch but at least one good thing about it is that you'll reach your full potential and have an ace record and you'll go to a great college and get a great job. Your parents are loaded - you have perks. My mother is loving and kind and she does her best, yes it has its perks but it's not going to buy me a future. She's using her inheritance to send me to this school, after that it's all up to me. And at least you had a father."

The last statement is a low blow, but Regina can tell it's because she's upset Emma. "Fine. We all have _perks_ ," Regina mutters, wondering when exactly this conversation started to go sour. She argues with Emma all the time, sure, but it's never too damaging or serious. At least not _this_ serious.

"You know what?" Emma starts, clearly deciding she's not done with the argument, "I can't believe you actually said that, when you have me, and Tink and Graham and even Daniel. Not to mention your boyfriend - or whatever you guys are this week - and you have this mansion and your fancy car and your private tutoring and tailored uniform-"

"Alright, Emma, I get it," Regina swallows hard at the blows and try's not to let it get to her. It's always been a non conversation, the difference between their lifestyles. Emma has never been ashamed of where she's come from, and Regina feels like a bitch for suggesting her life is anything but charmed.

"I don't think you do," Emma snaps, "you've been moping for weeks about boyfriend drama when you knew the guy for hardly a month, practically neglecting the rest of us while I've been nothing but supportive. You know it takes a lot for you to piss me off properly, Regina, but honestly I'm losing it-"

"Emma please stop-"

"No, you sit here acting like you've got it bad when you have _no_ idea what it's like for everyone else. It's you, and your relationship drama and your petty bullshit, that's all you care about. I'm not going to prom, because of your bullshit Regina, and you sit here and tell me how lucky _I_ am?"

She shouldn't be crying - she really shouldn't, but she can't help it. Regina doesn't want to cry, doesn't want to seem like she's feeling sorry for herself, but Emma knows how to hurt her. "I'm sorry," she breathes, "you can stop now. I'm sorry."

Emma just sits there breathing and venting for a few moments before she starts packing her notes into a pile. "Where are you going?" Regina asks through blurry eyes.

"Home."

* * *

"Okay, who's getting the next round?" August slurs merrily over the noise of the karaoke machine and the chatter in the background, a cheeky voice calling out from somewhere over the other side of the room ' _get me one!_ '

They've been at the bar for just over an hour. Belle is here, along with Mal - who is overly dressed for the occasion in her silver, slitted midi dress and red lipstick, Archie Hopper - with whom Robin has hardly had a conversation with, Aurora - who is apparently refusing to even _look_ at August for some reason, John, Kathryn and August himself. Belle, still dressed in her work attire, and Archie, with an umbrella despite the lack of rain, had been the only two there when he'd arrived.

It's a small bar, more local to the school than Killian's bar, packed full of eager Friday night punters. He isn't sure exactly _why_ the place is so thriving. It dulls in comparisons to some of the bars he's been to, but he can't keep nit picking at petty details just to avoid conversation with his fellow colleagues.

It's been shit so far. Katheryn has come onto him twice - and not subtly, Mal almost had a full blown argument with August over a comment he made about 'Women with Tattoos' and John has not once, not twice, but three times brought up the fact that Robin is now a 'single agent' and needs to get laid.

Still, he's counting on the next round of alcohol to lift his spirits somewhat.

"I'll get 'em," he answers August's earlier question of who was getting the next round, suddenly deeply in need of a drink to distract himself with. He throws a couple bills on the table and downs the rest of his pint. August raises an impressed eyebrow and then heads up to the bar.

"That rugged man needs to slow down," Mal drawls, turning her chin up at August. "I don't know why he was even invited."

"Me either," Aurora mutters into her glass, giving an overly disdainful roll of her eyes.

"The real question is; why do we ever try doing this type of thing? None of us like each other," John groans, which instantly earns murmurs of protest from the women.

"Of course we like each other," Belle objects, "just a few of you are too stubborn to be civil."

"And who exactly is that aimed at?" Mal asks indignantly, turning her attention to Belle.

Archie clears his throat and is next to speak up. "I think what Belle is trying to say is that, if we embrace this time together and tolerate one another then it will improve our working relationships. If you are cordial in this time, maybe we'll bond easier."

Mal scoffs, rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her wine. "Who says we want to bond?"

"This is what I'm talking about," Belle slams a hand on the table, just as August returns with a tray of drinks.

"Thank God for that," Robin mutters under his breath, but not quietly enough because all eyes on the table turn slowly to him like a bunch of predators after prey.

"You're awfully quiet, Locksley," Mal drawls in a tone that has him sipping his beer for confidence in his reply.

"Well I was forced to come, I'm afraid," he responds, but it's the wrong response because everyone seems to scowl at the same time. "Not that... that I uhm... not that I mind or anything."

"Sorry, what exactly is it you even do?" Aurora asks with accusation.

"Literature," Robin replays shortly, switching his gaze to John for help. The burly man is sat with a scowl on his face and his arms folded, glaring at Robin. "What?" Robin asks.

"Who's 'her majesty?'"

Robin's stomach drops and heat creeps its way up his neck. "What are you ta-"

John cuts him off by holding up Robins phone which displays two missed calls from Regina, who is, luckily for him, called 'her majesty' on his phone.

"That's... none of your business," he replies, leaning forward to snatch his phone but John pulls it back, mouth widening into a grin.

"You've been holding out on us," August accuses with humor.

"Yes, he _has_ ," he hears Katherine mutter but he chooses to ignore it.

"John, give that back," he reaches again but Mal grabs it first with a smirk on her face. "Mal!"

She rolls her eyes dramatically, "stop being such a baby, Robin. Is this the one you told me about? Show us a picture," she asks, handing him his phone back with the screen for the passcode up. "Couldn't guess your password."

Robin breathes a sigh of relief and puts his phone deep into his blazer pocket. "You guys are too much sometimes," he says a little shakily.

"So you're seeing someone?" John clarifies, and Robin honestly doesn't know what to say. If he says yes, John will do his best to find out who it is, if he says no then he's going to have to come up with a convincing explanation for the missed calls.

"Are you or not?!" August slurs, and Robin thinks the man really should slow down with the drinks.

"Yeah how comes Mal knows and we don't?"

"I _was_ seeing someone _,_ " Robin blurts out, and everyone's brows go up in surprise.

"When?" John frowns. "It couldn't have been recently unless you were lying to me, but then who?"

"It was... uhm... before. Before I started working at Misthaven."

"So you separated from your wife, and got with someone else and then broke up with her before you started Misthaven? That quick?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean... it was-"

"He cheated on his wife," Aurora surmises, and no! No, no he didn't. He would never do that - _could_ never.

"No, I didn't!" Robin cries, but he thinks Aurora's statement has more to do with something personal. Something to do with why she won't speak to August and why August is getting so drunk.

"It makes sense, in the short period of time between your break up and Misthaven. It's why her name is in code, right?" Belle asks, intrigued.

He wants to say no. Wants to say no so badly, because it's not true, he didn't have an affair. But if they believe this then they'll leave the subject alone for now and that's what he really needs.

"Alright, yes," he swallows the bile in his throat when he says it.

"Ugh, I can't believe I thought you were a good guy," Mal scoffs into her drink disdainfully.

"Man you messed up," John laughs loudly, "why didn't you tell me you were a bad boy!"

"Dogs," Aurora spits under her breath.

It makes everything tonnes more awkward, but then August is getting them another round of drinks and Archie excuses himself to head home.

"I'm not judging you," Katherine says, and everyone at the table protests once again, murmuring and shaking their heads. "What? He was probably really unhappy!"

' _He's_ still here,' he feels like saying, but he lets Katherine defend him while guilt gnaws at him. He should've just said no to tonight and stayed with Regina, but no, he's come out had a shit time and excused their relationship as a fling that ruined his marriage.

Not his finest hour.

But then someone else gets on the karaoke, and the pub livens up and takes the groups attention from him. The buzz of alcohol is a pleasant numbing for Robin, especially in a situation like this, so if he orders another drink right after his next one, who can blame him?


	16. Two Hundred Dollar Underwear

_Surprise! I didn't actually plan on updating today but I couldn't wait to post this chapter (that's a change, right?)_

 _All I'm gonna say are two things ; Mr Locksley's classroom is pretty hot today and not just because it's summer, and you're totally not ready for the ending of this chapter._

 _Enjoy x_

* * *

The ringing of the doorbell blares through his ears like a blunt chainsaw cutting through sandpaper on Saturday morning, and the groan he lets out is not kind to his pitiful state either.

He's pulled out of sleep fast and harshly by the sound, and he barely has time to crack open his eyes before it's ringing again.

Robin is getting too old for drinking. The remainder of last night at the bar with his colleagues is a major blur. He vividly remembers the awkwardness between everyone, a few snippy arguments here and there, something about him cheating on Marian when they were married, and a lot of alcohol. He remembers Mal leaving early because she had a bust up with practically _everyone_ , and Katherine had some form of breakdown about an ex, then Robin managed to drive himself home somehow and he cannot recall anything more.

But he knows somebody is at the door, so he hauls himself impossibly slowly out of bed and plants his feet firmly on the floor. It takes him a while to stand up and gain balance, but once he does he's dragging his feet on the carpet all the way to the stairs.

Ah, how he wishes he didn't have stairs.

After using a death grip on the bannister to assist him down, he rubs at his eyes in attempt to look more awake for whoever is outside. He hopes to high hell that it isn't one of his colleagues coming to gloat about not being this hungover, or God forbid his divorce lawyer.

He takes a breath and suck so it up, then swings open the door, the glaring sunlight temporarily blinding him.

"I hope you don't open the door like that to all the girls," a familiar voice says, and once his vision clears up he sees Regina with her eyebrows raised high. God he's relieved.

"What?" He mutters gruffly, opening the door wider so she can step in and keep the sunlight out.

Once the door is shut she makes a point to look him up and down. "You're practically naked."

It takes his tired, hungover brain a moment before he's casting his eyes down to look at his appearance. "Oh," he whispers, because _oh_ , he's only in his tight Calvin Kleins. If he wasn't already glad his early visitor was Regina, he is now.

She's already walking to his kitchen, letting the purse he's only just noticed slip off her shoulder before placing it on the kitchen table. "I didn't expect you to be _this_ hungover," she muses, "it's almost one o'clock."

Robin nods grouchily and pads over to the kettle, his brain still cottony and numb, yet achy as hell. Even _he_ can admit he didn't expect to be this hungover. "Well, I'm getting old."

"Mmm," he hears her say, and it has him whipping around (too fast for a man with a throbbing hangover) to glare at her. "I find it hot that you're older... I like a man with experience," she smirks, giving him his first smile of the day as his lips twitch up.

"Well then, there's a boost to the ego," he says, his voice still thick with sleep, his head still aching dully. His throat starts to feel a little bit dry and scratchy, so he rushes to the sink to down some water.

When he turns back around Regina is making his coffee _for_ him. "What can I say. I must have a real big crush on you, mr Locksley," she bites her lip, looking up at him.

How does she look this good so early in the morning?

He knows it's not _really_ early, it's almost one in the afternoon, and most days in school she looks this good but way earlier. But still, he can't help but appreciate her soft pink lips and dark curls and that gorgeous white dress that hugs her like a second skin.

But then her face sets into a frown, and she's looking somewhere behind him. "What is that?" She asks quietly, and Robins own face scrunches up in confusion when he turns to look in the same direction.

She's looking at the kitchen table, but all he can see is her purse, some newspapers and an empty cup or two. "What is _what_?" Robin asks, and Regina leaves his coffee half made and walks to the table.

"This," she indicates to something black and lacy on the back of the chair, which he has never seen before in his life but his stomach lurches forward in panic anyway.

He knows what it is, he can _see_ what it is but he doesn't know how exactly it got there.

"Are they not yours?" He tries, but he knows they can't possibly be hers because they definitely hadn't been there yesterday.

"Are they _mine_?" She parrots him in a way that tells him his question is ridiculous, "is the _underwear_ , in your kitchen, after a night out - where you got totally hammered - _mine_?!"

Shit.

Okay, okay.

Shit.

He has no idea, _no_ _idea_ where the skimpy looking thing came from. He didn't sleep with anyone, he knows that, and he certainly doesn't remember anybody taking off their underwear in his _kitchen_... but then again he doesn't remember much about last night at all.

Robin knows he's not credible at the moment, and all the evidence looks pretty conclusive, but one thing he did not do was cheat on Regina.

"Well, Robin?" She asks, teeth grit, hands on her hips, foot tapping lightly in a move she probably knows is irritating for his hangover. "Who's are they, where did you get them?"

"I- I don't... I don't know," he chokes out, because he honestly doesn't and it's too early for his tired mind to process all of this.

"You don't _know_ ," she repeats in a dangerous tone, leaning her body forward ever so slightly, "I'm gonna ask you one thing, and you're going to give me a straight answer."

He swallows hard.

"Did you cheat on me?"

"No."

She looks at him like she's unconvinced, grinding her teeth together. "Did you intend to cheat on me?"

"No."

"Did you bring a woman-"

"No, no no. Regina listen to me," he takes a step towards her and runs his palms down her arms until he finds her hands and holds them. "I didn't cheat on you. I didn't bring anybody here with the intention to cheat on you."

They're close but she's not looking at him. She's looking to the side to avoid his gaze. "Babe, I don't know where they came from but I promise you-"

"You were drunk, Robin, what would you know?" She snaps, still refusing to look at him. "I've been in this position before-"

"Regina-"

She steps away from him quickly, like she's touched a hot plate, and her face pinches in anger. "Don't," she says.

"I haven't done anything. I was drunk, not an idiot!" Robin protests, trying to step towards her but she holds up her hand to stop him. "Regina, listen to me."

She doesn't, she shakes her head and grabs her purse before turning towards the kitchen door, and oh bloody no she's not - she's not doing that. She's not leaving him now, like this.

"Regina wait," he grabs her arm softly and she turns to glare at him. "I can't tell you what I don't remember, I know this looks bad, but please trust me."

" _Trust_ you?" She echoes, "I know I'm young, I know you could probably go for somebody closer to your age, somebody less difficult to be with... but all I've _done_ is trust you. Don't think that because I'm eighteen that I'm an idiot or naive because-"

"Regina I don't think that," he insists, still holding her arm lightly, "there's nobody else, I swear. And I don't want anybody less difficult to be with. Even drunk Robin knows that."

"I just don't like the idea of you going out and getting so drunk that you don't remember where the underwear in your kitchen came from," she says, defeat filling her eyes, "I've been cheated on before."

"I know," he responds, letting go of her arm, "I'm sorry if I made you feel like I would ever do that. I'll ask John, August - even Belle if they remember what happened if you want me to. I don't know how else to prove-"

"You don't have to prove it. I believe you," she swallows, "deep down I know you wouldn't do something like that."

He sighs in relief for the first time this morning and let's his shoulders sag, thankful for a moment that she's so reasonable.

"Please remember I love you," he whispers, lifting his hands to cup her face, "So much. And you are something that I wouldn't jeopardize again. I learnt my lesson the first time I almost let you go."

Regina closes her eyes and nods, as if bracing herself for a " _but_ " that she doesn't get the chance to say, because not a moment later his cell phone is ringing from somewhere on the kitchen table, quite near the mystery pair of lacy underwear.

Both Robin and Regina look over at it in surprise, and then Robin kisses her cheek for good measure and stalks over to grab it.

"August?" He queries into the phone as soon as he presses receive.

"Robin, _tell me_ you've seen my wallet?" Augusts tired, raspy voice comes through in a series of frustrated huffs which Robin can relate to oh so well this morning. "I've woken up in my _living_ room, didn't even make it to the bedroom, and there's freaking vomit on my shoe and the room stinks of it. I've got my leather jacket, but no fucking wallet. I'm a mess."

Regina grimaces, indicating she can hear the man on the other end of the line.

"Uhm... no. At least I don't _think_ so. I've basically only just gotten up myself and I hardly remember anything," he sighs, leaning his hip against the table.

August puffs out some air and then chuckles darkly. " _Anything_? Seriously? Last night was way too good to forget."

While that may be true, Robin is only really worried about one factor. "Right... well, I do actually-"

"Tell me you at least remember the karaoke? Oh, oh, and the darts match. And don't tell me you forgot about you and _Katherine_."

All of the air leaves Robins lungs and the phone turns to fire in his palms. His eyes instantly shoot up to Regina, who is stood close enough to him to hear every word that August is saying clearly with hurt on her face. For the first time ever, he's thankful that their relationship is a secret so she has to stay silent whilst August is on the line.

"Me and Katherine?"

" _Yes_ , you and Katherine!" August says smugly.

"What about me and Katherine?"

August chuckles loudly enough to convince Robin that the other man isn't suffering as badly as him from this hangover. "You really don't remember?"

"Does it sound like I remember?" Robin grits his teeth.

"Okay, okay. No need to be snappy," August sighs, and then Robin hears shuffling in the background, "So after like... I don't know, half an hour of her being on the dance floor with Belle, she came off and like, downed a shot or whatever. And you were all drunk and pissed off about losing darts to this other guy, so you took it out on Katherine and commented on how 'hot and sweaty' she was."

Robin eases his face into a frown, recalling only slightly the unfairness he felt when a _sober_ man beat him at darts.

"So anyway, she took it as you calling her 'hot' in a like... I don't know, flirty way, and she totally tried it on with you _again_ but you were protesting like you had reason to. I'm telling you man, Katherine is hot, and you were both drunk as fuck so I'm surprised you didn't just take her to the bathroom and fuck her."

Robin notices the way Regina inhales sharply, so he rubs a hand on her arm in comfort while she has to be quiet. He really wishes this wasn't happening.

"Anyway, so me being the matchmaker I am was all like ' _these two need to hook up_ ' and so I took Katherine aside to the section near the toilets, bearing in mind she was _totally_ piss drunk at this point, and told her she should try a different approach. So - get this - she reached down under her dress and _pulled off her underwear_! Then she marched over to you, put her hands in your back pocket and whispered something I couldn't hear - but man, I was in hysterics!"

Robins face flushes deep, deep red in a blush that creeps it's way painfully up his throat.

Not only is that going to be _extremely_ awkward for them both at work on Monday and _totally_ humiliating if anybody else saw, but his girlfriend has just had to stand there and listen to a teacher tell her boyfriend that the school secretary stuck her knickers in his back pocket.

"That's ridiculous," Robin breathes nervously, noting the way Regina is inching away from him uncomfortably. "Why would she do that?"

"It's _Katherine_ we're talking about. We all end up having an experience with her at least once," August insists, "anyway, if you see my wallet, give me a call. But I'm gonna ask the others if they've seen it and then maybe call the bar if not."

"Okay well best of luck," Robin replies, scratching a hand at the back of his neck.

"Hey man, you too. Maybe you should invite Katherine over for a drink to return her underwear," the smirk is clear in Augusts voice.

"Doubtful, but thanks anyway," Robin replies shortly, and then hangs up the phone.

Regina is facing away from him now, both palms on the kitchen counter whilst she leans forward. "I am going to kill Katherine," he hears her grumble, and if this situation wasn't so serious he would laugh.

"At least we know what happened now," he supplies, deciding that he could really use that cup of coffee Regina didn't quite finish making before this whole incident.

"My boyfriend got so drunk that he forgot about the school secretary shoving her underwear in his back pocket," she muses, turning around and folding her arms, "I'm having a real banner weekend."

It sounds bad, but in hindsight he's extremely relieved that it's the worst thing he did. Something he'll have to do a little grovelling over, sure, but not much else. Something they'll hopefully move past.

"I'll make it up to you," he says as he stirs his piping hot coffee in the cup, "and I'll get rid of those."

Regina follows his indication to the pair of knickers and rolls her eyes. "I'll do it," she mutters, pinching them as little as she has to with a grimace on her face and then depositing them in the trash. "Unlucky. They were La Perla."

"La what where?" Robin frowns.

"La Perla," she repeats, irritated, "the same design of underwear I sometimes wear. It's like two hundred dollars for a bra."

Robin coughs into his coffee cup and almost spills the liquid over himself. "Two hundr- are you serious!?"

She nods and clicks her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Well you've never complained about _my_ La Perla's before," she sighs, and it almost sounds playful - flirty - but he knows she's in no mood to be flirty right now.

Still, he can't help the mouth watering sensation he gets _picturing_ her, her ass, her tits, her legs all covered in sexy lace and silk. The stockings that sometimes run their way up her creamy legs to her perfect ass, the criminal bra that clings to her chest as it expands with each laboured breath she takes.

His eyes swoop hungrily over her body, at the tight white dress she's wearing today, at her exposed legs practically asking for his hands to caress.

He curses himself at how turned on he is.

"But despite how it seems, I didn't come here to talk about underwear all afternoon," she announces, meeting his eyes, twiddling a black curl around her finger, "my plan was to come here and complain about this argument I had with Emma last night and _then_..." her voice drops breathily, "maybe have a few rounds of hot and steamy sex with my boyfriend... but I guess that mood died along with the La Perlas in the trash."

Robin swallows his disappointment down like a man and tells himself not to be a dick, and to understand _why_ exactly he probably won't get to fuck her today.

"I think I'm gonna head off home and get some space," she chews on her lip in a way that has his eyes darting to them. She knows exactly what she's doing. She has to. "I'll probably be busy for the rest of the week," she adds quietly, taking slow steps towards him until they're almost chest to chest, "maybe we can rearrange for next weekend."

 _Fuck_.

How is he supposed to go a whole _week_ without-

He can't.

Her hands run their way up his arms, over his shoulders and then stop at the base of his neck. He's still holding a coffee cup between them, both of his hands are trapped between her so there is no way for him to touch her without having to stop all this and put the cup down. He curses this fact when she leans up and places a chaste peck onto his lips and pulls away almost instantly, before he can even go in for more.

Regina's eyes glint in amusement at his disposition, and then she's taking a small step back, giving him just enough time to put his cup down and place his hands on her hips to crash their bodies back together. "Don't leave now," he practically begs in a rough whisper, "please babe."

He's hard, _rock_ hard, she's managed to turn him on even more than he was before, she has him in the palm of her hand and she's threatening to go _home_ of all things.

"You should've thought about that before you brought another woman's two hundred dollar underwear into your house," she whispers, so close to his lips that he can feel her breath in his mouth. "Goodbye, Robin."

And with that, she's pulling away from him, bringing the warmth of her body with her. "Regina-"

"I'll see you in class," she says with a slight smirk on her face, "Mr Locksley."

* * *

Try as she might, Regina is frustrated.

Sexually frustrated.

It wouldn't irk her as much if she wasn't trying to punish Robin. It wouldn't irritate her if they were both conveniently busy and could fit in a quick shag later on.

No, Robin had to go and scare the shit out of her on Saturday morning. The incident almost had her slapping him in the face for cheating on her - because if he'd cheated on her they would be over, no question. And despite how relieved she'd been when it came out that, in fact, he was just a huge idiot (surprise) who forgot about the desperate secretary forcing her panties on him, Regina could not let him go unpunished.

So, no matter how flustered she got on Saturday night, or how achy and turned on she got on Sunday, or how absolutely hot and bothered she was yesterday, she has made it to Tuesday without breaking. She hasn't caved and texted him to come over. She hasn't gone over to his house, or given him lingering glances in the school corridor.

She has punished him by depriving him of her, after leaving him (and herself) turned on Saturday morning.

Only now it's Tuesday, and it's third period, and she is sat at her desk glaring at Robin Locksley's ass.

He's writing on the board, they've all been in class for almost half an hour, and they're supposed to be making corrections on their returned practice papers. But her teeth are clamped down hard on the end of her pencil, her thighs are pressed together firmly under her desk as she watches Robin's hand scrawl notes on the board, his white shirt highlighting the flexing of his arms, the belt around his hips supporting the trousers covering his ass.

Regina needs a cold shower. It's become apparent to her that she is wearing no blazer and she is still boiling hot. Her hair is up today in a ponytail, but the loose tendrils that have come loose are sticking to the sweat around her face, her breath is ragged around the pencil. She feels like everyone can tell, she feels like she's standing out like a sore thumb, when in reality everybody is doing their work.

Apart from her.

And when Robin finally finishes what he's doing on the board, he turns around and her breath catches.

He's in the same boat.

His eyes are dark and his hands are clasping tightly around his board pen, his top button undone to no doubt cool him down. He swallows hard, eyes flashing at Regina, and then he takes his seat.

Good.

It goes on for the rest of the hour. She manages to make a few corrections on her paper, swallow saliva more times than she thinks she ever has, sweat buckets in the heat of everything, but as soon as the bell goes to signify the end of the lesson she makes a point to pack up her stuff extra slowly so she's the last one left behind.

Regina can tell she isn't the only one anticipating this moment. As soon of the last student is out of the classroom Robin closes the door, twists the locks and pulls down the blinds so they're both left alone in aching silence.

"Well here's a surprise," she just about breaths, leaving her purse at her desk and walking over to him, because she cannot wait anymore. He reaches out and pulls her once she gets close enough, tugging at her arm until her chest is pressed against his.

And then slowly, he leans down and whispers - almost growls - into her ear, "please say you're done torturing me."

"And what if I'm not?"

"Oh yes you bloody well are."

It doesn't take more than that before he's crashing his lips onto hers, and she's gripping the collar of his shirt for leverage whilst his arms travel down to grab her hips. He pushes her backwards until she hits his desk, and he doesn't waste any time lifting her onto it and positioning himself between her legs.

"I've been dying," he groans between kisses, his hands working messily at the buttons of her blouse, "without you. Do you know that Regina?"

She hums something in response but is too busy working at the belt around his waist. Too focused on his hands and the way he's grinding in between her legs, too turned on by the way he's devouring her lips.

"I went months without this before we got back together," he groans, "I didn't need to go an extra three days to know I couldn't stand it."

"I'm sorry," she whispers against his mouth before taking his lips again. "Just don't pull that bullshit again, you idiot."

"I've learned my lesson," he grunts, and the irony is certainly not missed.

When he's finished with her shirt he casts his hands down and strokes at her legs, drifting up and up, until he reaches her underwear.

She knows she's slick and hot and ready, the ache between her thighs has been apparent for a while now, but when he whispers "I am going to fuck you so hard," she squirms with desire.

He takes a small step back and tears off his tie, devouring her with his dark eyes. She is so turned on that she honestly doesn't care that her teacher is about to bang the shit out of her against his desk whilst she's in her uniform.

Neither does he, clearly.

Whilst he works on taking off his shirt she slips her own unbuttoned one from her shoulders and lets him get a good look at the La Perla she spent extra time picking out last night. He licks his lips approvingly, so Regina reaches for the waistband of his trousers and tugs him back to her.

"You're not the only one who's been suffering," she says, slipping his trousers down, "I've been all hot and bothered since Saturday."

"You have no idea," he growls, finishing his buttons and running his hands through her hair, "how much I want you right now."

"Show me," she whispers, and not a second later he's back on her lips, one hand drifting underneath her skirt and slipping into her underwear.

She moans when he slips two fingers inside of her, curling them the way she likes - the way that has her back arching in agreement. "The only two hundred dollar panties you're getting into anytime soon," she pants.

Robin bites his lip at her admission, and then slowly draws his fingers out of those expensive knickers, pulls away from the kiss and brings his them to his lips. He hums when he sucks her juices off his finger, and it has her swallowing hard with want.

Need.

"The _only_ one getting into these two hundred dollar panties _ever_ ," he tells her heatedly. "I love you."

"I love you too," she responds eagerly, "now fuck me."

Robin groans and then his hands are back on her, reaching up her skirt and pulling her underwear down her legs and to her feet. He brings their lips back together, tugging hers with his teeth whilst his hands roam up to cup her breasts.

He still has his boxers on, but all that changes when Regina scoops a leg around his hips, draws him closer and hooks one hand into his waistband.

It's become apparent to her that the desk is slightly squeaky. It's a low sound, one that will be barely audible to the empty corridors whilst everyone's at lunch, but it still has her wondering whether-

" _Oh_ ," she moans when Robin takes one of her breasts into his mouth, licking and sucking greedily.

Fuck the desk.

Regina wraps her fingers around his cock and guides him to her entrance whilst he ravishes her chest with kisses. It's a bit of a sloppy start since they're both so desperate and achy, but when he fills her the only thing she can concentrate on is pleasure.

" _Fuck_ , you feel so good," he whispers into her ear, "so good."

She's panting into the side of his head, response ready on the tip of her tongue, but she doesn't get the chance to say it before he's kissing her again, thrusting into her, making the desk squeak and drag, a pencil falling off of it and onto the floor yet neither of them acknowledge it.

" _Fuck_ ," she breathes between their mouths when she feels his fingers on her clit. She grips his shoulders hard, her nails digging into them in a way she suspects is painful but he doesn't seem to mind. "Like that."

" _Mmm_ , like this," he responds incoherently, lips on her neck.

Her pleasure intensifies when he picks up his pace, pounding into her so hard that the desk creaks violently. The furniture is old in this school, vintage and expensive, but also fragile. The desk is polished red oak, sturdy but aged, so Regina tells Robin as much in a whisper and he slows down slightly.

"Lest we have to explain a collapsed desk," he mutters into her neck, changing his pace to slow and hard.

She chuckles in response, but it's short lived before she's moaning again, hooking her leg more comfortably around his waist. " _Mmmm_ , fuck, we should - _ah_ \- do this again some time _Mr Locksley_ ," she pants, heals digging into the backs of his leg.

Robins free hand grips hard at her hip and he stops sucking her neck immediately. "Do you know what you're doing to me?" He groans, looking hard into her eyes and resting his forehead against hers. Regina smirks in response and Robin takes her lips, bites down hard and then runs his tongue over it. "You're lucky I love you so much," he whispers, kissing her again.

He continues to fuck her hard, working her up until she's moaning so loudly that he has to remind her to be quiet. She nods and busies her mouth with kissing his neck, her fingers scratching so hard down his chest that he hisses and grips at her hips.

"Are you close?" He grunts, and she nods her her head violently, because _yes_ , she's close, _so close_ , so ready to let go. "Good because - _fuck_ , I'm gonna-"

He doesn't finish his sentence, just reaches and grips harshly onto her ass, stiffens and then slows, just as ecstasy hits her hard and she clenches around him, babbling something about _how-fucking-good-he-feels_ and grasping his hair to pull his head in for a kiss.

If she was sweaty before, she's soaked now, and so is Robin. They're both sticky and warm, his arms slippery as she runs her hands down them and breaks from the kiss. Her legs are throbbing, her high dissipating fast whilst they stay close together, captured in one another's warmth.

They stay there catching their breaths for a moment, before Robin gradually sobers up and looks around. "I can't believe we did that in here," he pants.

Regina shakes her head, "me either," she swallows hard. "It was hot though."

Robin hums in agreement and then reaches down to pull up his boxers and trousers. "It's one thing to entertain a relationship with a student, it's another to fuck her in your classroom."

She cocks up a brow as she yanks her panties back on, realizing that this might actually be bothering him now that he's thinking clearly. "Don't do that Robin. Don't feel _bad_ about it."

He stops what he's doing and places a hand at the back of her neck to pull her lips in for a quick kiss. "I don't feel bad about it, but I know it's a bad thing and I can't help it."

Struggling with the buttons of her shirt, she stands on wobbly legs so Robin can straighten out the desk. "I'm eighteen, Robin, and if I wasn't your student this would just be a quick shag at work," she insists, "and it's not like we broke the desk."

She hears him chuckle lightly at her observation, and turns to see him putting things back in place on his desk - still shirtless. She admires the view for a few moment, before looking at the clock and pouting. "There's only thirty minutes of lunch left."

"Won't Emma and Co be wondering where you are?"

"Ah," She mutters, "that's what I didn't get to tell you on Saturday. Emma and I aren't exactly talking at the moment, so I doubt she's wondering - and if she is, she knows about us anyway. Tink, Graham and Daniel however... I think they're probably studying for the math exam this afternoon."

Robins eyes widen. "Shit, I forgot today was your first exam. You should've been studying, Regina, not here with-"

"It was good stress relief," she interrupts, stepping over and running a hand lightly down his bare chest, "and _you_ should get a shirt on."

"It was _great_ stress relief," he agrees.

Regina smirks and takes out her ponytail in an attempt to fix her mussed hair. "I almost want to thank Katherine and her La Perlas," she sighs, "almost."

* * *

"Regina!" Tink calls from behind her at the end of the day, and Regina turns around to see the blonde jogging to catch up with her. "We missed you at lunch! How did your math exam go?"

Regina continues to walk once the blonde has fallen in step with her, a shrug on her shoulders. "As well as I hoped, I guess. It wasn't too difficult, but I'm not sure how I did," she responds, "what about you?"

Tink sighs, "I think I did okay. It's just Emma I'm worried about. She's been cut up over it for a whole hour. I know you guys aren't talking right now but-"

"Regina!"

This time her name is called by Graham, and both the blonde and brunette turn around to see him running towards them. "What now?"

"It's Emma," he pants when he gets close enough, "I think somethings wrong."

Ever stubborn, Regina rolls her eyes. "You're her boyfriend. Why don't _you_ sort it out?"

"I'm serious, Regina," he insists, glaring hard at her.

"So am _I_. Whatever shit show she's putting on now because she thinks she's failed her exam can be handled by someone _other_ than me. Until she apologizes for what she said on Saturday that is."

Graham growls in frustration and steps closer to her. "I honestly don't think it's about that, Regina. You're her best friend, and she would be there for you if it was the other way around."

"Fine," she concedes, "where is she?"

They follow Graham to the west wing of the school where the art, drama and music subjects, are located, and then down the corridor to the abandoned classrooms used for storage and occasionally frisky hookups between reckless students.

"Why is she all the way down here?" Tink whispers as they get closer to the end of the corridor, the gloomy lights making the eery quiet that much scarier.

"I don't know. She texted me that she was here and needed to see Regina. I knew she was upset about the test but... I don't know. It's something more."

"Okay well I think it's best if we wait out here, Graham," Tink suggests when they reach door 67, the one Emma directed them to. Graham nods, chewing at his lip nervously.

Not that she will admit it, but Regina is terrified. It isn't like her friend to get so upset that she blocks everyone out and then invites Regina to the abandoned classrooms in the west wing. Something in her wonders whether their argument on Saturday went a little too far and now Emma is trying to murder her, but the reasonable part of herself tells her not to be so ridiculous.

Finally, she sighs and places her hand on the cold door handle, creaking it open a little. "Emma?"

The room appears to be empty at first, but then she jumps when blonde rushes over to the door quickly and pulls her friend in, not even acknowledging the other two outside. She slams it shut before Regina can even yelp about being man handled, and then she freezes meets the eyes of somebody familiar.

He looks older, and scruffier than before, with an air of maturity about him that he's never had previously. She hasn't seen him in two years, but the lines around his mouth are the same, his dark eyes moving cautiously around her form.

" _Neal_?"

Emma swallows hard from beside her and looks at her best friend, but all Regina can do is stand in utter confusion at what is going on right now.

"I don't understand," she whispers, "Emma, why am I here and why is _Neal_ here?"

The blonde stays quiet and shakes her head.

"Emma?"

"Regina I need your help," is all she says.

" _Anything_ , Emma. You know that," Regina responds, looking into her friends eyes, "I'll help you with anything. Just tell me what Neal is doing here?"

Neal, headmaster Gold's son. The one who graduated two years before and stopped his contact with Emma, breaking her heart and causing a feud with Lily that has never died down. To this day, Regina hates him. So why on Earth is he standing in front of her looking like the weight of the world is on his shoulders?

"Regina I have something... I have something I need to tell... to tell you," the other girl trails off, looking nervously to the side, and worry sets in Regina stomach.

"What?"

Emma lifts a hand to nervously play with the swan necklace around her neck, and something about the move draws Regina's eyes to it. "I uhm.. I - I just-"

"Neal, what's wrong with her?" Regina's eyes snap to meet the older man, who is way too quiet for Regina's liking.

"Emma just tell her," his voice cracks, worry so evident in his tone that it makes Regina's eyes widen.

"I'm pregnant. And it's Neals baby."

* * *

 _Apologies for the cliffhanger. Thoughts? x_


	17. Baby Swan

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I am sooooooooooo so sorry for the delay in chapters. Like honestly, after school started back up I have been so so so busy that I literally had no time. And my inspiration was gone. I even planned to update on the 17th of January because that was the one year anniversary of this fic (yay!) but I got held up. But I'm here now, and I feel like if you need a refresher you should re read the last chapter. All that said, I'll put a short flashback to the end of last chapter just to remind you what the cliffhanger was. Thanks for sticking by this fic over the unplanned hiatus!

* * *

Previously ;

"Regina I have something... I have something I need to tell... to tell you," the other girl trails off, looking nervously to the side, and worry sets in Regina stomach.

"What?"

Emma lifts a hand to nervously play with the swan necklace around her neck, and something about the move draws Regina's eyes to it. "I uhm.. I - I just-"

"Neal, what's wrong with her?" Regina's eyes snap to meet the older man, who is way too quiet for Regina's liking.

 _"Emma just tell her," his voice cracks, worry so evident in his tone that it makes Regina's eyes widen._

 _"I'm pregnant. And it's Neals baby."_

* * *

Regina's face falls. Her heart sinks so low that she feels like it's left her body, a cold feeling replacing the blood that's drained from her face.

"What?" She whispers, so quietly that the word barely makes it into air.

Pregnant. Neal. Emma.

Her best friend Emma, who loves Ice-Cream and pancakes and tacos - and sometimes in that order. The twelve year old blonde who gifted Regina a handmade necklace with a crown on it in their first year at Misthaven because she loved Emma's Swan one. The girl who cradled Regina in her arms when the news about her father hit her too hard to remain standing. Her best friend Emma, whose guilty pleasure is Beyoncé, and who cries at Titanic every single time.

Pregnant.

"No no no... I don't understand-"

"Regina-"

"You're pregnant!?" Regina exclaims, taking a step away from Emma and glaring at her in disbelief. "I don't get it, how-"

"We really don't have time to explain the technicals of how it works when a dick gets shoved into-"

"Yes, thank you Neal, but I really don't need you to tell me how getting knocked up works," she snaps at him disdainfully, giving him a glare she saves for people she truly can't stand.

"What I don't understand is how this happened when you," she turns back to Emma, "haven't seen him for two years. Because you certainly would've told me if you'd been seeing him again. Right?"

"It was a mistake, Regina."

"A mistake?" Regina scoffs, "a mistake. And when did this mistake happen, before or after you got with Graham?"

"That's not fair-"

"No I'll tell you what's not fair! What's not fair is you calling everyone else out on their own bullshit, ridiculing me for keeping secrets when you've surely one upped me with this particular bombshell, Emma Swan. Not to mention Graham-"

"Hey, leave her alone," Neal steps forward when Regina starts getting in Emma's face, and instantly Regina turns her argument to the older man, because how dare he?!

"And you, who broke her heart and started a trail of bullshit that we still haven't been able to clear up, show up now of all times, with a story of how you knocked my best friend up at eighteen, and probably a convincing excuse -which I'm still waiting to hear by the way," she cries, taking a step towards him, "What was it, Neal? You couldn't stop thinking about her for two years? You wanted to fit one last fuck in before she goes off to college and will probably move on with her life? Are you proud of yourself?"

Anger bubbles on Neals face, and he clenches his fists and grits his teeth, his jaw tensing as he takes a sharp step towards Regina, which triggers the blonde in the room to speak up.

"Okay stop!" Emma says sharply with a tremble in her voice, and upon further inspection Regina realizes the blonde is crying. "Neal get out of her face. Now. And Regina stop making this situation harder than it needs to be. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I'm so sorry. But I really need your help right now.

"Fine," Regina concedes when Neal steps away from her, "what do you want me to do?"

"We need some money."

"How much?" Regina rolls her eyes, because she'll help Emma with whatever she needs but she still can't help but be mad at her right now.

"Five thousand."

"Dollars?"

The blonde nods, and Regina straightens her spine, "What for?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it does," Regina mutters.

Neal clears his throat from his space next to them, and Regina doesn't even give him the satisfaction of seeing her disdainful expression. "We're putting the baby up for adoption."

That's...

That's shocking. But not shocking. What did she think they were going to do? Raise the baby? An eighteen year old student and a barely altogether adult? Still, it has her snapping her head up to look at Emma, whose face has turned an incredible crimson.

"We can't keep him, Regina," Emma mumbles, and Regina's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline.

"So it's a boy?"

"I... I just assume-"

"And exactly how pregnant are you?"

Emma swallows hard and fiddles nervously with her hands. "About a month."

"A month," Regina scoffs, looking to Neal and then Emma again. "But you got with Graham about that long ago. How would you even know it's Neals?"

"Graham and I always use protection. And Neal and I didn't. We slept together the night of Tinks party."

Regina's heart drops just a little, because Emma knows, she knows what cheating does to a person. She helped Regina through her own devastation over Daniel, and here she stands with a lifetime cooking in her stomach as the physical representation of her infidelity.

"I was drunk, and I was full of adrenaline after the thing with Lily, and I left the party a little early and ran into Neal who offered me a lift home-"

"Yes, thank you Emma, I don't really need a run through of your scandalous evening with the man you supposedly hate," Regina cuts her off, "you cheated on Graham. He doesn't deserve that."

"I know, Regina, I get it. It was a shitty thing to do. I shouldn't have cheated on him. But this is high school. What I have with Graham is a high school relationship, and compared to the situation at hand it's not in the forefront of my mind."

Regina's blood boils just a little at Emma's indication, and she folds her arms in on herself. "So you're saying everything I went through with Daniel shouldn't hurt, because it was just a high school relationship? Does that mean Graham's feelings mean less to you? What about us, Emma, are we just a high school friendship in the 'forefront of your mind?' Because if so, why would I give you five thousand dollars just 'cause you can't fix your own problems?"

"You can be such a bitch sometimes."

"Oh I know," Regina hisses, "but so can you, Emma Swan. Yet here you are, asking for my help, and here I am, listening. So don't presume to think that my bitchy disposition is the issue here. The issue here is that you need money from me, so I'll write you a check, and I'll give you your money, but then the next time you speak to me better be to deliver a heartfelt apology or I swear Emma, we are through."

Regina turns towards the door, purse clasped tightly in her hand and anger burning in her stomach. She puts her hand on the door knob, fully ready to storm out, when a light hand on her shoulder stops her. She faces Emma, hazel eyes boring into the blondes blue ones. "I'm sorry Regina," the blonde sighs, defeated, "For our argument on Friday, for being a stubborn bitch, for keeping this from you, for asking you for money when it's the last thing I want to do. I'm sorry for getting myself into this mess when I am unable to get myself out, but you have to understand that it was a mistake. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I love you and I hate fighting with you. Please forgive me."

Regina is stubborn, but not that stubborn. She cannot refuse her best friends desperate apology, cannot turn her away when she is already suffering.

So Regina drops her arms and concedes. "I forgive you. But you're an idiot."

Emma smiles through her tears and pulls her best friend in for a hug. They linger in one another's arms for a moment, digesting the truths that this bizarre situation has revealed.

When Regina pulls away, she wipes a stray tear from her cheek. "You still haven't told me what the money is for."

Guiltily, Emma swallows and looks to Neal. He has the decency to look sheepish, before addressing Regina. "I can't ask my father for money. I'm broke, I dropped out of college, I'm in a fucked up situation as it is, but I really want to be here for Emma. So we're gonna use the money so I can rent a place - a place I can stay close and a place that Emma can come to whenever she needs. Once the baby is born and put up for adoption I'll pay you back, I promise. And I'm sorry about just now. I shouldn't have gotten in your face, Regina. I really appreciate this."

Regina grits her teeth but nods. Her best friend hadn't been completely open about where the money was going originally, but she still won't deny her this favour. So she smiles at Neal - or tries her best to, anyway - and turns back to Emma. "Okay. Okay... this is all gonna be fine. You're feeling okay, I take it? And Neal is gonna look after you. We finish school in a few weeks so you'll be able to finish, and then you'll give the baby up and go to college."

Nobody knows who Regina is trying to reassure here. Herself or Emma. Or both. She can't help but worry about her, this is huge, a huge thing for somebody to deal with. Regina thought she had her own problems, her own huge things to deal with, namely her teacher boyfriend, her progressively more problematic step sister and her overbearing parents, as well as all her finals. But here Emma stands with her long time ex boyfriend, who is also the son of their head teacher, pregnant and broke.

She really needs to get home and take a painkiller. But she's supposed to see Robin later... it's their last night alone before her parents return from their business trip.

It's doubtful she'll be seeing Robin tonight, and that's great, just great.

It gets even greater when Neal pipes up again with, "one last favour, actually..."

* * *

They step into her house just after five.

The situation is not ideal... not at all, but she could hardly turn him away in his time of need, could she?

Neal doesn't live in LA, he lives in San Francisco. He'd driven from his apartment at 8am this morning and hasn't slept since. He doesn't have the energy to drive home, or the money for a place to stay around here, so Regina has kindly offered to put him up for the night. Just one night, she'd told him many times. She doesn't want to explain to mother and Leo why exactly there is a strange man in their house tomorrow.

She still doesn't like the man, or much appreciate the mess he's put her friend in, but he isn't a bad person. Deep down, he's just an idiot who got in a bit of a mess.

And Regina was raised to be polite, so she offers Neal a hot drink, or a cold one, or 'maybe a cookie?' as soon as they walk into the kitchen.

Neal accepts the offer, requesting a coffee, before taking a seat at her kitchen counter and putting his head in his hands. Regina goes and puts the coffee machine on, and then turns around to look at Neal.

It's strange seeing him again after all this time. He graduated from Misthaven two years ago. She hasn't seen him since his carefree, entitled student days. Since the days he and Emma would sneak longing glances and sweet kisses. Since all of their problems with Lily started.

And now here he is, back. Headmaster Gold clearly hasn't paid much mind to his only son these past few years. Regina has no idea what happened but she can guess it wasn't pleasant.

Not that it's any of her business but... well she's allowed to be curious, isn't she? Especially when she's giving him five thousand dollars.

The coffee machine beeps to alert Regina that it's ready, and she takes a brief moment eyeing Neal up before turning to receive the drink. If she's honest she's fancies a coffee of her own, so she places another mug under and turns it back on.

"So... you've changed a lot," comes Neals voice from somewhere behind her, and Regina rolls her eyes at his pathetic attempt to small talk.

"It's been two years. A lot changes," she responds, stirring Neals hot drink.

"Emma tells me you're seeing someone," he mentions.

Regina freezes, glares at the kitchen counter, and then turns around, schooling her features. "Yeah. I am."

"And I take it you love him, and everything?"

She picks up his cup and wanders over to him, placing the coffee on the table. "Yes. Very much," she smiles a little at the distant thought of Robin, of how much she loves him, "why are you asking?"

"If he... made a mistake, one like this, do you think you could forgive him?"

Neal couldn't have made his point more obvious if he'd shouted it from the rooftops.

"Oh no," she whispers.

"'Oh no' what?" He frowns.

Regina scoffs and takes a seat next to him, ignoring the sound of the coffee machine finishing, and then looks at him dead in the eyes. "Oh no, you're not the only one who cheated on someone in this situation, are you? You have a girlfriend?"

Neal grimaces and takes a sip of his drink. "Fiancé," he confirms, "I don't know what to do. I mean... I've messed up. Badly."

"That's a bit of an understatement."

"I don't even know if I should tell her. Do you think she could forgive me if I do?"

Regina blows out some air and stands from her seat, walking over to collect her finished coffee and some cookies. Every situation is better with cookies. "I don't know. But you want to move here to be there for Emma until the baby is born right, so I don't exactly know how you're gonna try covering that up," she sighs, "just tell her the truth. Otherwise you're keeping a relationship based on lies. And she'll find out somehow."

She goes to take her seat once more, when the sound of the front door being opened and then closed makes its way into the kitchen. "Regina?" Mary Margaret calls chirpily, and a moment later the petite girl makes her way into the room.

Mary Margaret pauses hastily in the doorway, the irritating smile she'd previously been wearing wiped from her face when she sets eyes on Neal. "Oh. Hello. Who's this?"

Regina finishes taking her seat next to Neal and grimaces. She can't exactly tell Mary Margaret that this practical stranger has gotten Emma pregnant and is now crashing at their house for the night, can she?

"Uh... you remember Neal, don't you?" She tries, offering Neal a cookie at the same time.

Mary Margaret's frown turns into a knowing smirk, smug and annoying. "Ohhh..."

It's Neals turn to look confused.

"What?" Regina snaps.

"This is the guy you had over last week, right?"

"What!? No, of course not," Regina exclaims, disgusted expression plastered on her face. As if her and Neal could ever...

No.

"He used to go to Misthaven! Headmaster Golds son!" Regina finishes, ignoring the irritatingly present smirk on her step sisters face.

"If you insist," Mary Margaret chuckles, making her way out of the room, "nice to meet you... or see you again... Neal."

"You too..." Neal murmurs, amusement and confusion still in his eyes. "That was weird."

"Sorry about that," Regina apologizes, wrapping her hands more firmly around her drink. "I suppose you remember my father died a few years ago? Well my mother ended up marrying Leopold Blanchard. So now Mary Margaret lives with us."

"Yikes," Neal grimaces, "sorry to hear that. My father never did like that man."

"Who does?" She snickers, fiddling with the cookie packet, suddenly in deep thought. Everybody seems to have a father. Even awful men like Leo and Gold, who are good on the outside but couldn't care less on the inside. And yet her father... her good, loving, attentive, precious daddy is...

No. She won't cry. Not in front of Neal, so she decides instead to voice a question that's had her curious since earlier. "Why did you and your father fall out?" She asks without looking up at him.

Neal sighs loudly, before taking a long sip from his cup. "He never really seemed to care much for me anyway," he begins, "nor for my mother, really."

Regina nods in understanding, the many ways in which her own mother has been less than maternal over the years popping into her head.

"I mainly chose to go to college because it's what he expected of me. And also leaving home seemed like a promising idea back then. Leave Misthaven, screw loads of chicks, drink loads of alcohol."

She frowns at his last sentence, a little pinch in her gut because Emma had been so hopeful that he'd keep in contact when he left for college.

"But it wasn't all it cut out to be," he interrupts her thoughts, and she finally looks up to meet his eyes. "And my parents split. They stayed together for me, but I was gone so they split... and then they didn't split? I'm pretty sure he's been screwing the French teacher at Misthaven for years though. And my mother was totally into some bar owner a few months back."

Regina's eyebrows rise and fall at that. The chemistry between Ms French and her headteacher hadn't exactly been subtle.

"But the minute I dropped out of college it was like I wasn't his son anymore. He cut my allowance, my trust fund. Got mad at my mother when she told me to come home. So I didn't come home. Until recently."

"Ah. You were visiting your parents when you bumped into Emma," she surmises.

"Yeah. The odds of seeing her were... I don't even know. But the minute I saw her it all came back. And she was drunk... I honestly just wanted to give her a ride but obviously that didn't go as planned."

"Obviously," she parrots, swallowing her cooling coffee.

There's a moment of silence, before Neal turns to her. "Why'd you ask? About my father?"

Regina shrugs, looks at him and frowns. "Because mine isn't here anymore and sometimes, I wonder why people who still have fathers don't take advantage of their presence. It's stupid, I know. If somebody asked me why I don't take advantage of my mothers presence in my life I'd laugh in their face and ask if they'd met Cora Mills - whoops, Blanchard."

Neal chuckles and nods his head. "You know, you're alright Mills."

"I still don't like you," she mutters halfheartedly, finishing the remaining contents of her coffee cup.

* * *

Robin is disappointed, but not surprised.

Regina has cancelled their plans to see one another later on. It's their last night without her parents, probably one of the last times she won't be swamped with exams and other things she needs to be stressed about, so Robin can't say he's pleased with her last minute cancellation.

Something about Emma, something about it being serious, and something about 'I'll explain tomorrow' had her unable to see him this evening, so he's taken it upon himself to visit Killian at the bar.

He won't be drinking tonight, no. He'll engage in a conversation with his good friend, see how he's been getting on these past few weeks, and then he'll go home and take a shower.

It sounds like a sad, boring evening. Even as he's driving down the streets of LA to the Jolly Roger bar, he's reconsidering just going home and finishing some marking.

Which just sounds sadder.

But what else can he do? He hasn't seen his buddy in a while, and despite it only being Tuesday night he's not unfamiliar to trips to the bar during the week. Especially since the divorce and leaving his last job. Less frequently, as time has gone on, but still not unfamiliar.

He reaches the bar when it's nearing six o'clock. Theres a pastel cast over the evening sky, a thick warmth hanging in the muggy summer air. It's busy for a Tuesday night, he notes when he walks through the car park after locking his car. But then again, the Jolly Roger is rather a hot spot in this area.

"Locksley! This is a surprise!" Killians voice calls out over the noise as soon as he crosses the threshold. He's beaming from behind the bar, a bunch of happy regulars surrounding him on stools, drinks being tossed back and voices chattering on. It's definitely busy for a Tuesday.

"Thought I'd drop in and say hi to my favourite barman," Robin replies, walking over to the bar, both hands in his pockets.

Killian scoffs and takes the white cloth hanging from his shoulder, using it to polish a wet pint glass in front of him. "What can I get you? First ones on the house, of course."

Robin holds up a hand, "tonight isn't a drinking kinda night. I'm up for a chat when you're free to take a break."

"You really are just here to visit the devilishly handsome bar owner then?" He corrects Robins previous statement, slapping the now polished glass under the beer tap. "I'll take a break in five."

Killians comment is followed by him pouring a pint of beer, and shoving it over to Robin, despite his request for no drink. "Thanks mate," he accepts the glass and sends a nod to his friend.

It isn't until ten minutes later that Killian makes his way over to Robin with a drink in his hand and a packet of roasted peanuts.

"Sorry about the wait," Killian grunts, pulling out a chair and taking a seat, "wanted to make sure the majority of the bar were served before I let Walsh take over."

"Oh, it's no problem," Robin smiles, leaning back in his chair.

"So, what's been happening since I last saw you? That whole... dilemma."

Robin takes a generous mouthful of his pint before answering that particular question. "I uh... we sorted it out."

"Sorted it out in what way?"

"In the way that we're no longer separated," he grimaces, picking up his pint for another gulp. Killian is looking at him like he's grown another head, the other mans own mouth frozen just before his pint glass.

"Jesus mate, you've got to be careful," he warns, shaking his head. "The amount of trouble you could get in for this. I'm serious Robin-"

"I know, I know. I've thought about all that. I've thought about what will happen to me and her if we get caught but we won't."

"Robin mate," Killian shakes his head, "it's so risky."

"I'm aware," he mutters, "but being without her and unhappy seemed like a worse fate than being with her but taking a massive risk."

"Last time you were here you were adamant on not getting back with her, and a few weeks later you're here telling me you're actually entertaining a relationship with one of your students!"

"It's not like that Killian, and you know it."

"Yeah, I know that, but do you think your boss would give you a second look if he found out?" he hisses, followed by a sip of beer.

"Probably not," Robin mutters, "but as I said, I know that. She leaves school really, really soon. And who knows what will happen after that, but all I'm sure of is that we have right now. What more is there to think about when you're in love, right now, and you happen to have... right now?"

"Well, right now, as you're so adamant on pointing out, you're at my bar, not with the lass."

Robin rolls his eyes and nudges Killian a little, the other man offering light banter to take some heat from the conversation. "Well she's busy or something tonight. Best friend drama. All very... high school-ey."

"Not surprising," Killian nods, turning his glass in his hand. "Have you thought about what might happen when she does leave school and goes off to college - assuming that's what she's doing."

"Well," Robin begins, pursing his lips. It's not that he hasn't thought about this... he has. But he's pushed it to the back of his mind. He's been caught up with everything else.

But he's definitely thought about it.

And he honestly doesn't know what's going to happen. He would never ask her to stay - especially if she gets into Harvard. He'd never make her choose. But would he go with her? Would they choose to have a long distance relationship? Will she simply break up with him to start a fresh when she leave?

He doesn't know. So he voices this truth. "I'm honestly not sure, mate. I mean between now and then a lot can happen but... if we're still together then it'll probably be long distance. And I'm not sure if that's a good idea to be honest."

"Why not? You think dating her while she's a student at your school is a good idea, but not a long distance relationship."

Robin sends Killian a glare. "Stop it," he warns. "What I mean is, we got attached to each other. She was there for me when I needed a person. I was crushed about Marian when we got together, and she helped that. And it wasn't until I realised we couldn't be together that I started to realise I was in love with her. And I only acted on that because I have to see her every day and it was hurting me. If she leaves, I'm scared that all of it will go. I won't see her every day. I'm healed over Marian. I won't need a person because I have a girlfriend a hundred miles away. I think that's enough to break us apart."

Killian throws two roasted peanuts into his mouth and chews, looking at Robin with both his eyebrows raised. "I don't believe for one second that distance is enough to break what you have," he husks, swallowing the nuts, "if anything, it'll make you want her more. Not seeing her all the time, all that love getting lost over the phone line, it'll build up and make you miss her. Trust me. I know."

"I can't tell if you're for or against our relationship, Killian," Robin smirks, "but you're certainly a good one to go to for advice, I'll give you that."

Killian chuckles. "What are bar owners for, mate?"

* * *

Okay stay tuned for tomorrows update!


	18. Cafeteria Chaos

Okay so, some explaining... in the early chapters of this fic there was a brief mention of a character who has not yet been introduced. If you forgot it won't make sense but they will be involved in the story for a while. Furthermore; There are a few big events coming up all at once in the next few chapters, so, lol, sorry if there's a lack of smut... but I'll be updating every day until New Year's Day so you might just get lucky. N E Way sorry for all the angst. Well I'm not sorry but still ;))) x

* * *

Regina and Neal leave her house just after eight in the morning on Wednesday.

Surprisingly, Neal is a morning person. He's pleasant company to have at this early hour, and on the long drive to school he doesn't lack for conversation.

Regina on the other hand, is _not_ a morning person. Especially whilst she's driving in sweltering heat like this, wearing a stuffy uniform, on the way to a long day of studying. Neal is pleasant, sure, funny also, but she just can't help but want him to shut up.

They'd had an interesting night last night. Talking through things of the past, finding out what was going through his head after leaving high school, opening up about his feelings on the baby.

His fiancé, Tamara, is still in college. She's smart, Neal had said. Really smart. And pretty, and understanding. Which is why he can't come to grips with having to tell her the truth.

They'd only gotten engaged two months ago. And he loves her. He says he really loves her.

Regina can sympathise with that, but she can't _completely_ feel sorry for the man. Maybe if he learned to control his dick, him and her best friend wouldn't be in this situation. There'd be nothing to explain. No money to lend. No fear for her friend.

Right now she's tired, and trying to watch the road whilst he talks about how strange it is to see his old high school again. The memories it brings back, and how he kind of wishes he took it more seriously. And then they're parking up at Misthaven, both stepping out of _her_ car so that he can get to _his_ (he left it parked here last night after asking to crash at Regina's) and she's making sure that he has his bank check.

"I got it," he nods, holding it up with one hand whilst his unneeded jacket rests on his other arm, "thanks again. For everything. I'll probably be seeing you around once I get moved back here."

Regina smiles at him, shifting her purse on her shoulder. "Have a safe journey home, Neal. And remember to tell your fiancé the truth. No matter how mad she'll get."

Reluctantly, Neal mutters an agreement, and then surprisingly he pulls Regina in for a hug. "I'm really grateful, you know. Emma's got a great friend in you."

Regina hugs him back, "I know," she smirks, "I still don't like you," she adds, feeling him chuckle against her.

And then they pull away, and Neal heads off to his car whilst Regina heads back to the school.

* * *

The air con is on in the staff room. The air con is on, but it's still unbelievably warm and stuffy. Even when he takes his blazer off and throws it into one of the plush chairs, picking up a magazine and using it to fan himself, it's unbearably warm.

Two windows on the far side of the room have been swung wide open, giving Robin a perfect view of the West field and stables. The sun is gleaming into the room, casting a pattern onto the furniture and floor that resembles the French windowpanes. Beside him, in the kitchen, Belle, Aurora and John are by the kettle, chatting about organising a field trip for the students while the weather is bearable.

Aurora had switched on the coffee machine a few moments ago to make herself a cup, but had opted out of that particular beverage when the heat began getting to her. Now, there's a fresh smell of coffee in the air, along with wafts of paper and ink from the printer that never seems to stop running.

Robin is simply sat on one of the plush, mahogany chairs, fanning himself with last months copy of NatGeo, calmly observing his colleagues who are lost in deep conversation. There's a pleasant mugginess in the air, one that reminds him of car rides in the summer time. Uncomfortable car rides until the relief of breeze whips though the windows, the warm sunlight settling on your skin like a blanket of heat suddenly balanced out by the coolness of the air.

It's not even a moment later that his calm is disrupted by an annoyingly familiar voice. " _English_! You're with me this lunch time on duty," August announces.

Robin can't even hide the grimace from his face as he nods at his colleague. "Sure. I'll uh... meet you in the field."

August chuckles and announces that that's " _a great idea_ " before hitting Robins shoulder once again, and departing with an; "I'll catch you at lunch Locksley," over his shoulder.

Robin returns a smile that he knows August can't see at this point, and notices that Belle and co have began collecting their bags to exit the room. Robin decides that this is a good point to get to his classroom before the bell so he can set up.

He has a full day of lessons today, and apparently duty at lunch time, so he'll likely not have time to do much else. He may not even get to see Regina, who he's hoping to have a word with later on.

Still, he makes his way to his classroom and sets up the papers he has planned for them, scrawling ' _The Handmaids Tale'_ on the board, followed by three exclamation marks.

When his class enter, they're solemn, moody, and dreary. It's that time of the year when school is almost out and every day is a drag.

Robin shakes his head at them and takes a seat, sighing at the melancholy atmosphere.

"Okay, ninth grade, the Handmaids Tale. We've finished it, we've talked about it, we've even watched the movie," he begins to tell the class as they take their seats, "and I know your end of year assessments are coming up so that you're ready to be put into sets for next year, but you need not worry."

The class grumble from their seats, a few mutters of ' _That's easy for you to say'_ reaching his ears.

"You're right, Grace, that _is_ easy for me to say, because I've done this a million times before and every single time my class has passed with flying colors," he nods, standing from his desk.

"And how can you be so sure that we aren't simply the anomaly who fails all their assessments and ruins your good name, mr Locksley," she wits back at him, eyebrows raised, arms folded.

"Because I'm British, and that means I have magic when it comes to literature, which also means you guys are definitely going to do excellent in your assessments," he lies, "you go to the most prestigious school in L.A, you have this cool guy as your teacher, and you're all pretty smart. I know you'll do amazing."

The class perk up a little, a few chuckles can be heard around the room, and that's more like it. "Which is why I'm giving you a practice test right now," he rushes to say, and instantly those smiles turn to frowns and groans.

"Way to get our hopes up," Gretal pouts.

"Yeah, not cool Mr Locksley," Grace mutters.

"Apologies guys, but this is for your own good," he smirks, picking up the practice tests and passing them around the room. "I'm expecting your results to be really impressive, but don't worry about it too much. Worrying makes mistakes. You guys are smart, you know how to do this, so blow me away."

He returns to the front of the class once all papers have been handed out, and takes a look at the clock. "Okay, it's approximately ten past nine right now, and I'm giving you thirty minutes. So at twenty to ten, this exam ends. You may begin."

The students all sluggishly open the assessment paper, groans and complaints can be heard over the room.

* * *

"So I'm trusting that everybody has their periodic table of elements memorized?" Mallory Page calls out to the class once she's completed the register. All of the students nod, and Mal lets her red lips pull across her face in a pleased smile. "Good. Lance, tell me what the formula for magnesium hydroxide is."

"MG(OH)2," he answers easily.

"Okay, and Jefferson, can you tell me how many hydroxide ions are in 2.5 mol of Magnesium hydroxide?"

He scrawls something down on his paper, taps his calculator a couple times, and then looks smugly at the teacher.

"3.0 times 10 to the power of 24?"

They're in first period, chemistry. Regina is seated next to Tink, with whom she's been beside the entire year, with her notebook, pens and textbooks sprawled out on the desk in front of them.

Tink is not yet caught up on the Emma drama, and neither is Graham. It has her on edge and uncomfortable, unsettled by all this information she's sitting on. She can't stop going over it in her head. Her best friend is _pregnant_. A baby is growing inside her. And Graham will be heart broken. Tink will be beyond disappointed.

Not to mention if anybody gets their hands on this scandalous information.

"Well done. Regina Mills, can you answer the question on the board?"

Regina's head shoots up, her thoughts broken by Mals question, dropping her pen from her fingers onto her notebook. Glancing around the class, who seem to be waiting on her answer, she stands from her desk to walk over to the board, grasping her calculator in her hand.

Science is a breeze to her, so she's not surprised Mal has asked her to do this.

 _What is the concentration of a solution of K2CO3 that has pH=11.90?_

While she must admit, the question looks tricky, working it out will be easy, so Regina smirks and addresses her (second) favourite teacher after a moment working out the calculation. "2.6 times 10 to the power of minus two, or, _2.6 x 10-2_ " she replies, scrawling the equation onto the board when Mal gives her the pen.

There's a moment of awkward silence as she turns back to face her teacher. There's a slight frown on the older woman's face while her eyes scan the board.

And then an irritating voice echos from the back of the class. "It's actually 3.0, and the 10 should be to the power of minus _one_ , Regina sweetie," Jefferson calls from the other end of the science lab.

Regina shoots her eyes back to the board and instantly blushes when the other students begin to snicker. She quickly realizes her mistake, and mortification crosses her face at her stupid error.

How could she get that wrong? Science is what she's _good_ at. And for it to be pointed out by _Jefferson Hatter_ , no less.

" _Thank you_ , Jefferson, but there was no need to call out. And well done Regina, just focus better next time. I'm sure you knew the answer."

Regina gives a weak smile to Mal before rushing to her seat and opening up her revision book.

That was a simple equation. It must've just been a slip up. Her science exam is on Friday and she _can't_ be worrying about that right now on top of everything else.

"Okay class, I'm going to hand back your practice tests from last week so you can improve on your weak areas before your final on Friday. I'm expecting you all to do really well. Do not let me down," Mal calls out to everyone as she hands back the papers one by one.

"Honestly, don't worry about it, Regina," Tink whispers from beside her, clearly noticing her friend is unsettled, "and ignore Jefferson. He's an idiot."

Regina gives Tink a small, glum, nod and waits for her test to be handed back to her.

If she wasn't already in a crap mood, she is now.

When Mal hands back her paper facing down, Regina _knows_ that it cannot be good. And once she's flipped the paper to see her score, her heart sinks.

 _B-_

Her mother is going to kill her.

Actually _kill_ her.

A strangle her in the foyer of their home, slip bleach into her coffee, run her over with her own car kinda kill.

"Oh my _God_ ," she whispers, putting her head into her hands.

"Regina it's okay," Tink assures from next to her, a clear ' _A_ ' written on the other girls paper.

"No it's _not_ okay. I'm good at science, and if I'm good at science how did I get a B minus!?" She hisses, pointing at the paper in her hand. "Does this mean I did bad in math yesterday, too? That was a math _final_! What if I failed?"

"Regina, it's a B minus, not an F. We have until Friday to get you back up," Tink says, putting a hand around her friends shoulder.

"No, Tink, because today I have a French exam that I need to prepare for, and tomorrow's the history final," she snaps, before taking off her blazer because she's overheating in this room with all this stress.

"You're practically fluent in French, Regina. As soon as the exam is done you can focus on Chemistry. You've always gotten top grades."

"My mother is actually going to kill me. We get our offers from colleges we've applied for soon and I _cannot_ be getting B minuses if I want to get into Harvard!"

"Maybe you're just so confident in chemistry that you haven't really studied it as much. After history tomorrow, study chemistry all night if you have to, you'll be fine."

Regina really, _really_ hopes so.

* * *

Stress and tension hang over Regina until lunch.

She's in a fowl mood, overwhelmed with worry, expectations and this damn Emma thing. She knew it would be like this. The moment spring break ended she just _knew_ her life was going down hill.

The countless tutors her mother had gotten herself and Mary Margaret, all that preparation, all that time spent building up to the very moment that would determine her future and look what's happening.

She's failing.

And it all comes down to distractions.

Distractions from Emma, distractions from Robin, distractions from parties and heartbreak and stupid, _stupid_ Lily Page.

Now all she can do it sit here glumly picking at her food whilst Graham talks some nonsense about _prom_ of all things.

"Prom is in just over two weeks!" he huffs exasperated at their lunch table, throwing his PBJ down onto his plate. "We _have_ to find a way to get you and Emma back in. You can't miss out on this iconic moment. I want all of us to be there."

Emma silently picks at her plate, not paying attention to any of her friends.

"I want us to be there too, Graham, trust me," Regina sighs, gripping her iced coffee tightly, "but I don't think Gold is gonna budge. I've way overstepped my limits this year, and because of that Emma has been dragged down too."

Tink shakes her head and turns her chair to face Regina. "No! We _can't_ give up that easily. It's the last time all of us are gonna properly be together. In high school. Celebrating finishing our exams, wishing good luck to everyone in the future, saying goodbye to teachers! Not to mention all the dancing and dresses and, no doubt, smuggled alcohol. Your mother is on the board, Regina! There _has_ to be a way."

Regina shakes her head and shrugs. "I don't think my mother is going to want to come back from her business trip tonight to be met with me begging her to bargain my way back into prom. And anyway, she won't even _consider_ it when she finds out about my practice grade."

"You guys have worked so hard this year, though," Graham groans, finally picking up his sandwich and taking a bite, eyeing Emma curiously. The blonde still hasn't spoken two words to the group since sitting for lunch, and Regina can tell that everybody is curious after what happened yesterday.

"What's wrong with barbie?" Daniel asks stupidly, and Regina kicks him hard under the table. " _Owww_!"

"You know she hates that nickname, and you can tell she's already upset," Regina mutters when he sends her a glare.

"Yeah but she won't tell us what she's upset about," Graham adds, scooting his chair closer and trying to reach for Emma's hand. She snaps it away and shoves it into her blazer pocket. "Oh come on-"

"You _slut_!"

This day is just getting better and better.

The room goes silent for a moment, every student in the cafeteria suddenly turning their heads to see where the familiar screech had come from. To nobody's surprise, Lily Page and her kiss ass friend are marching their way towards Regina's table, deathly glares on their faces aimed at one person.

"You _bitch_! Ruby _saw_ you with him! How dare you!?"

Regina blinks twice, places her drink down, and scoots her chair all the way around so she can face the other girl, folding her arms as she frowns. "What hell are you talking about?"

"First your stupid friend and now you, huh? He chose _everyone_ but me. He's back here for you? Is that it?"

"Regina who is she talking about?" Tink hisses from beside her.

Regina knows exactly who Lily is talking about, and she's so _stupid_ for forgetting about the problems that Neal being spotted could cause.

And now it's public knowledge that he's back in town, nothing good can come from this.

"She's talking about _Neal_ ," Ruby chips in, cocking her head to the side in a challenging manner. "They're together."

The few students within hearing range gasp at the scandalous information, but all Regina can do is blush deeply and close her eyes in embarrassment.

No way is she being accused of such a... a gross, completely wrong, absolutely unthinkable action in front of the entire cafeteria.

She hates Neal right now, and she has a little pit of anger towards Emma regrowing in her stomach.

"Is that Neal as in Cassidy?" Graham frowns, finally adding his two cents to the conversation.

Someone in the distance is heard gasping "Head master Golds son?" and that's just about enough to make Regina snap.

"Listen Lily, whatever you think you know, you don't. Whatever your stupid friend thinks she saw, she didn't. So you run along and do whatever the fuck you've been doing for the past 100 years that you've spent pining after someone who doesn't want you and leave. me. alone."

She wants to say so much more. Wants to deny the rumour completely, but it'll lead to questions, and she's not sure how they'll be answered without pointing at Emma.

And if Emma's secret gets out her life at Misthaven is pretty much over.

Lily grits her teeth for a moment, and then takes a step closer to where Regina is sitting, towering over her. "Watch your back Mills," she whispers, before turning and marching out, her friend following behind her.

Regina watches them go, nails digging into her palms as her nostrils flare.

Yet another issue stacked upon the many she already has.

After a moment she sighs deeply and turns her chair back to face the table, where there's an awkward silence hanging over her friends whilst they all sit perplexed.

"So... just to clarify... you were sleeping with Neal?" Tink asks, breaking the silence.

" _No_ ," Regina huffs. "That is _certainly_ not what's going on. The furthest thing, in fact."

"So Ruby lied?"

Regina turns to Graham. "No, she didn't. He crashed at my place last night. He had nowhere to go."

"But you guys _hate_ Neal. After everything he did to Emma-"

"Okay stop," Emma pipes up, shocking the group into silence. "Graham, may I have a private word?"

Regina snaps her head to look at Emma, her eyes widening. "Emma?" She whispers.

The blonde ignores her and keeps her attention on Graham. "Please. Can we talk in private?"

"Of course," he replies, standing from his chair.

Regina watches in shock as her best friend and her boyfriend leave the room; the last thing she expected Emma to do was to tell Graham about Neal _today_! But if she's gone off to do what Regina thinks she's gone off to do, Graham will surely be mad for the remainder of the day. Not to mention they have an exam this afternoon.

* * *

Robin and August make their way to the cafeteria towards the end of lunch.

They've made their rounds, and August had suggested picking up a snack, because it's " _always good to stay fed during lunch duty_ " and Robin wasn't about to disagree to a potential distraction (plus he fancies a coffee).

When they enter the room through the large double doors, Robin almost collides with two students, Lily and that other annoying girl who wears too much eyeliner and never has her shirt buttoned half way. Lily looks angry, and tense, and upon further inspection Robin sees the students in the room whispering and looking at Reginas table.

"Well... looks like we missed a bit of drama," August sighs to Robin, getting in line at the counter.

"Oh boy, you sure did," a voice he recognises as Katherine says from behind them. "It was a Page vs Mills. Didn't go past a little yelling but I learnt something interesting about our bosses son."

Robin turns to look at the blonde. "Isn't the headmasters son away at college?"

"Well... apparently he's back in town. And for the _other_ friend this time, if you know what I mean," she winks at August. Clearly it's something Robin has yet to be caught up on, but he can't say he's all too interested. He's more interested in talking to his girlfriend because she cancelled their plans last night and now she's having arguments when she should be focusing on her studies.

August chuckles and shakes his head. "One thing I'm glad about is that after this school year is over, those two won't be within _miles_ of one another."

"They could end up going to the same college," Katherine shrugs, eyes following Emma and Graham as they stand and exit the room with solemn looks on their faces.

"No way," August chuckles, picking up a baguette from the display, "Lily's smart but not Harvard smart. Regina's headed straight there, there's no denying that."

"It was my impression that most of the students here were headed to Ivy League colleges," Robin frowns, still distracted by Regina and his need to speak to her.

August pays for his food, followed by Katherine ordering a coffee for herself and Robin (he has no idea how she predicted that he wanted a coffee), before leaning against the counter. "Yeah. Most of them. But Ivy leagues can only really take a certain amount of students from prestigious high schools like this one. There has to be a certain diversity on where the students they accept come from. Harvard can only take 15 from this grade and there are _80_ of them."

"I can predict about 8 of the students that'll for sure get into Harvard, and Regina Mills is one of them," August nods over to where Regina and co are rising from their seats with their lunch trays.

Robin always knew she was brilliant. She's told him about her hopes of getting into Harvard before, and he knows it's her dream. He absolutely believes she will achieve it.

Only, Massachusetts is hours away. It's on the other side of the damn country. He'd have to catch a plane to visit her, and he has work five days a week so what would he do? Spend five hours on a plane on Friday evening, spend the day with her on Saturday and then another five hours on the plane on Sunday? Spending hundreds of dollars every time he wants a cuddle?

The idea is somewhat bitter sweet. He wants the best _for_ her, but he also wants _her_. All of her.

To himself.

Not hundreds of miles away.

He's brought back into the moment by Katherine, who smugly announces, "Not even Golds _son_ goes to Harvard. Which is saying a lot since he's back in town for Regina Mills, punching _well_ above his weight in all departments," she raises an eyebrow, shaking her head.

Robin blinks, and blinks again.

In fact he blinks a third time, his mind picking out what word exactly has him stalling in such a way.

Something something _Harvard_ , something something _Regina Mills_ , something something _departments_.

' _He's back in town for Regina Mills.'_

Is Katherine talking about _Regina_ and the headmasters _son_?

 _Why_ would she be talking about Regina and Mr Golds son all of a sudden?

He's back in town for _Regina_?

Robin hadn't even had a clue she'd ever dated that guy, let alone that she'd _seen_ him again.

And for a moment his heart sinks, because her cancelling their plans last night makes a little more sense, as does the apparent drama that took place before they entered the room.

"How do you even know where Neal Gold went to college?" August frowns.

"I'm the secretary," Katherine rolls her eyes, turning to grab hers and Robin's drinks when the lady at the till says her name. "I work closely with Gold. I hear things."

Robin accepts his drink from Katherine and thanks her bitterly, pre occupied with the information that's currently wracking his brain. The information that's building and burning and rolling around his stomach, a ball of unpleasant emotions coursing through his veins, his whole body.

He _needs_ to _talk_ to _Regina_.

"And I'm also around the students a lot. I'm not gonna _not_ listen to gossip. It's the highlight of my day rushing around to grab delinquents to bring to Gold. I cannot wait to tell him that his son is back in town to canoodle with none other than Regina Mills," she laughs, and laughs, and laughs, until she's cut off by the sound of somebody clearing their throat. All three of them freeze, (not that robin needed to freeze, he's been rooted in the same spot staring at the same mark on the floor since hearing Regina's name associated with Golds son), and turn to glance awkwardly at the intruder of the conversation.

Surprise, surprise, it's Regina Mills herself.

Looking pretty, (when isn't she), and angry (also a common emotion associated with her), and sending daggers at Katherine.

"Uh... Regina... I-"

"Gossiping about students to staff about what they do in their private lives is unprofessional and not to mention, none of your damn business," Regina spits, folding her arms. "Also whatever you think you heard wasn't what it sounded like, which just goes to show that you're as bad as one of the eighth graders when it comes to rumour spreading."

"Excuse me-"

"And for the record, _ms Midas_ , Mr Locksley just isn't that into you," Regina blunts, dropping her arms and shoving past himself, August and Katherine.

Katherine's eyes are wide, her jaw hanging open as a deep red tinge paints itself on her cheeks.

"That was so out of line!" Katherine cries.

"To be fair, she was right," August says, earning himself a glare from Katherine. "I meant the part about gossiping. Not the... not the uh, 'Mr Locksley' part."

Robin chooses this moment to make his way out of the conversation, dropping his coffee back to the counter as if he'd never wanted it, and then glancing at Katherine. "Yeah, how about I go have a word with her. That was uhm, unkind what she said to you," he suggests.

Katherines fury melts away as soon as she looks at Robin, her face softening until it resembles a shy blush. "You'd stick up for me? Thanks Robin," she smiles sincerely.

He nods, acknowledging the both of them with a nod once more, before following Regina out of the cafeteria.

* * *

She's not even half way down the corridor before footsteps are following her, the clacking of shoes echoing down the empty hallway behind her.

"Regina Mills? A word, please."

 _Robin_.

Oh great, just what she needs. Him being mad at her for saying that whole ' _he's not into you'_ thing to Katherine.

Not that he can _blame_ her for that. He can't! He's her boyfriend. The woman shoved her _underwear_ in his pocket a just few days ago, Regina is _allowed_ to be mad. And quite frankly she's a bit territorial, which is _also_ allowed.

Robin is _her_ boyfriend.

She doesn't stop for him though, continues her decent down the corridor until she gets to the stairs. Robin continues to call out to her until he apparently catches on to where she's headed.

His classroom.

If he's gonna be mad, let him be mad there, where he can actually say it without fear of being seen. Where he can frown at her, shout at her, make that stupid ' _for fuck sake Regina_ ' face at her, and shout at her some more, and _kiss_ her and-

Wait.

Yes.

That's what she wants. That's really why she's headed to his classroom.

She wants to kiss him.

Stress is eating her up, and if there's one person who can calm her down it's him. And his kisses. His hands on her _breasts_ , his legsbetween her _thighs_. His body pressed against hers, his _breath_ on her neck, his arms wrapped around her waist, oh she would _die_ for those arms.

Suddenly she can't get there fast enough, the anticipation is powering her down the corridor on the upper floor. When they reach his classroom she leans against the wall, waiting for him impatiently to take out his keys and unlock the door.

He does it wordlessly, for some reason.

Rushed and wordless.

It isn't until he unlocks the door, lets her in, and then slams it shut behind them that she realises he's madder than she first thought.

There goes her hope for a heated make out session.

"So," Robin says matter of factly, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt and using the support of his arm to lean on his desk.

Regina watches the movement and swallows hard.

"Care to explain?"

"Uh..." she says dumbly, "she was standing really close to you... flirting. She was flirting. So I lost it a bit. I'm sorry."

Robin gets this look on his face. This confused, disbelieving ' _what the fuck_ ' look that takes Regina by surprise.

"I'm not talking about _Katherine_ ," he clarifies (more like snaps, his anger getting the better of him) and oh. _Oh_.

Well what the hell is he talking about?

"I'm referring to where you were last night. Or rather; who you were _with_ last night."

 _Oh_.

Oh this looks bad.

Of _course_ it looks bad.

She vaguely remembers what Katherine had been saying before she'd interrupted her. Regina has no idea how she didn't put two and two together and realise that what Katherine was _saying_ , Robin was _hearing_. About Neal, about him being in town...

And now Robin is mad at her; he's really mad at her. She can see it in how he's standing, how his nostrils are flaring, how his jaw is clenched, his eyes like daggers, the hand not being used to lean on his desk balled into a fist.

"Right," she murmurs a little too quietly, "it's really not what it looks like-"

"What _exactly_ does it look like?"

A flair of anger courses through Regina at being cut off, but she swallows it down. "Like I lied to you, and like I've done something to betray you," she begins slowly, "but he only stayed at my place because-"

"Hey stayed at your place!?" Robin cuts her off, no longer leaning on the table but standing straight, arms folding sharply.

"I... I thought you knew that."

"So your ex boyfriend comes into town, spends the night at your place whilst your parents aren't even there, you cancel our plans-"

"He's not my ex," she's quick to interrupt, "he's _Emma's_ ex boyfriend. I was doing him a favour."

"That's not the story I heard, Regina."

"Well this is the story _I'm_ telling, and considering _I'm_ your girlfriend, and _I'm_ the only one who knows the situation, this should be the story you _listen_ to, so;" she takes a breath, and looks him in the eye, "Neal ran into some trouble, Emma asked me to help him out. He stayed at my place, _yes_ , but A, I am _not_ a cheat, and B, I don't even _remotely_ like Neal. I dropped him back to the parking lot this morning so he could get to his car and drive home. The end."

Robin's eyes do not move from hers, and for a moment it's overwhelmingly intense. She licks her lips.

"What trouble did he get into that Emma thought you could possibly help him with?" he questions, voice still fuelled by anger.

"I don't owe you an explanat-"

"Oh I think you do," he cuts her off once again, making her ball her hands into fists. She hates being cut off, especially when she's the one being unfairly put on trial.

But she's not telling him about Emma. It's not her place, and Emma is her best friend. Regina hid their relationship from Emma, so she'll hide Emma's secret from Robin.

He doesn't need to _know_ that Emma is pregnant, anyway. He's mad at Regina for not telling him about Neal. He's overreacting. He doesn't need all the dirty details.

"He had nowhere to stay," she shrugs. "So I said he can stay over at my place."

"This doesn't make sense," he shakes his head, huffing. "Why would Neal suddenly be in town to see Emma, and why would that then result in him staying at _your_ place for the night?"

"Look, Robin, whatever happened between Neal and Emma is _not_ my place to tell you. You're just going to need to trust me, just like I trusted you about Katherine. Stop taking your anger out on me just because I didn't tell you this one thing."

"I'm your _boyfriend_ , Regina," he cries, taking a step towards her, "this is the type of thing you tell me. Maybe not about whatever Emma did, but be honest with me when you cancel our plans. I don't want to be finding out things like this from _Katherine_ off all people. You didn't tell me anything. It's immature. It's..."

Regina looks at him when he trails off, frowning at the fact that he chose to leave his sentence unfinished. "It's what?"

He sighs deeply. "Nothing."

"No, finish your sentence."

"Just leave it-"

"Finish your sentence Robin!"

"It's immature, it's silly, it's childish, it's _high school_ , it's not something I want to have to deal with."

A sharp pang hits Regina in the chest at his outburst, a lump forming in her throat as she stares at him with hurt in her eyes. At that same moment the school bell rings signalling lesson time.

Regina stays put, trying to come up with something she could possibly respond to that.

But she has no time, as the sound of students filling the halls outside of this room are already becoming prominent, and she knows Robin has a class to see next.

So she simply nods and adjusts her purse on her shoulder. "Fine," she whispers, "then _don't_."

With that, she takes one last look at him before making her way out of the classroom and to her French exam.

* * *

Later that evening, when the sky is beginning to dim and the muggy heat in the air is slowly starting to chill, Regina walks through the large, white front door of her home only to be faced with silence.

Silence and a dark hallway, just a slither of light drifting in through the kitchen and highlighting the foyer.

This day has only gone from bad to worse, and it's only going to get crappier since her parents are finally home this evening. Her would-be blissful break away from them has proven a colossal fail in all departments, and she can't help but wish for the ease that was here before they left.

The minute she'd finished her joke of a French exam, four texts had already been waiting for her demanding that she please be home by six o'clock _on the dot_.

When she pulls out her cell on the way to the kitchen, dropping her purse to the floor, it states that it's five minutes to six, meaning she's slightly early, meaning that mother and Leo should be waiting for her.

So why is it so quiet?

A surprise awaits her in the kitchen, causing her to stop in her tracks the moment she reaches the open doorway. The first thing she sees is a _child_ , sat at the kitchen island, concentrating on colouring something on a piece of paper.

Regina's face sets in a frown before she even notices her mother stood to the far left by the fridge. Cora turns and startles.

"Regina, you're here," she says, as if she hadn't asked Regina to be home by this time. Regina swallows and nods, before pointing to the child who has stopped colouring and is now looking up.

"Why is there a... kid in the kitchen?"

The child has deep brown eyes, much like her own, and bundles of orange curls which spill onto the table she's colouring on. There is something so familiar about her that she almost...

No.

"Leopold and I may have not been all too honest when we told you we were going away for a business trip," her mother begins, walking slowly over to Regina and putting her hands on her shoulders. "Come, and I'll explain."

She begins to lead Regina towards their living room, but all Regina can think is that this must be serious. Her mother is being calm, almost cautious, and the house is too quiet and-

" _Zelena_!?" she gasps when she lays eyes on the older version of a face she remembers.

Feelings and emotions and confusion flood through her body and flush out everything that had previously been on her mind. Her heart rate picks up, big brown eyes locked on deep, ocean blue for the first time in nine years.

"Hey little sis. Did you miss me?"


End file.
